Scribbles and drabbles and ficlets, oh my!
by Golem XIV
Summary: A collection of one-shots that are too short (1k words or less) to be posted on their own. Mostly BBRae, but I'll probably include other pairings later. Please be aware that the rating is now M. Current story: No Regrets.
1. The Pillow

**Disclaimer:** If I ever make a few hundred billion dollars, I'll buy DC and then I _will_ own the Teen Titans.

-=oOo=-

 **The Pillow**

"All right, who was the smartass?" Raven growled at her friends assembled in the Ops room. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at her. She wore her usual expressionless mask and her eyes were calm, but her voice betrayed just a hint of otherworldly menace.

"What is it, Rae?" their leader broke a brief period of confused silence.

The sorceress' face creased into a small frown. " _Someone_ entered my room while I was meditating on the roof and stole my pillow."

All heads turned to Beast Boy. He blushed.

"Dude! That's _so_ not fair! Why are all of you jumpin' at _me?_ "

"Grass Stain…" Cyborg drawled warningly. Beast Boy frowned.

"Oh, I geddit. It had to be Beastie. The prankster. The immature one. The _idiot._ "

He tossed the game controller on the coffee table, rose from the couch and went to the door, pushing past Raven. As he reached the exit, he turned to face them again.

"I'm tired and I want to sleep," he said in an icy voice. "If you're going to search my room, do it right now."

"I ain't gonna be searchin' yer room, Evergreen!" Cyborg chuckled. "I don't have my hazmat suit with me!"

Beast Boy's face darkened with anger. He glared at Cyborg, then turned around and stormed away. Raven watched him leave with a raised eyebrow.

-=oOo=-

"It wasn't him," Cyborg concluded with a guilty sigh. "The only time he left the Ops room was to go to the bathroom, and he came straight back after it. I've checked the footage from the security cameras in the hallways."

"I told you that we need security cameras in the bathrooms and bedrooms, also!" Robin grumbled, then rolled his eyes as the rest of the team glared at him furiously. "All right, all right! Forget it!" he said, lifting both hands in a gesture of placating surrender.

"Nobody got into or out of Rae's room through the door or through the windows. I checked all the recordings, including infrared and LLTV." Cyborg turned to the sorceress. "You sure you didn't misplace it, little sis?"

"Don't be absurd, Vic. How can I misplace something as big as a pillow?"

"This may be a dangerous situation!" Robin said, falling naturally into his command role. "If someone can sneak into one of our rooms and steal anything, it means our security may be compromised. We should initiate a full security sweep right away!"

Everybody else groaned. A 'full security sweep' meant at least four hours, more likely six, and it was already late at night.

"Wait!" Raven spoke suddenly. "Let me search my room carefully first. If I can't find the pillow by morning, _then_ we can start going overboard and tearing down the Tower looking for the thief."

Robin frowned. "I don't think –"

"The 'Ayes' have it!" Cyborg cut him short after exchanging concerned glances with Raven and Starfire. "Let's leave Rae to search for the pillow and we'll follow up in the morning!" He caught Starfire's eye. She smiled and nodded.

"This is serious, Victor –" Robin began, but was interrupted by Starfire whispering in his ear. His cheeks reddened slightly at first, then their color deepened. Raven and Cyborg bade them both good night with innocent expressions on their faces and left for their respective rooms.

-=oOo=-

Beast Boy closed and locked his door carefully. He was still angry with Cyborg because of his jab. Just because his room was somewhat untidy, it didn't mean it was a pigsty. He removed the uniform and tossed it into the dirty clothes hamper – there, you see? – and climbed onto the upper bunk that he preferred.

He looked quickly and with a bit of anxiety at the closed door before he slid under the blanket, right beside a large bulge. His hands went for it, his arms embraced it and his face sank into it as he breathed deeply, filling his lungs with her scent.

He wasn't able to resist it. He fought with himself for days before he finally gave in to the temptation to steal it. He planned the heist carefully; the cameras didn't have the resolution to detect the small green ant crawling under her door, and smuggling the pillow back into his room through the ventilation ducts wasn't a big problem.

It may have been stupid, but it was the only thing he _could_ do. He couldn't just go ahead and _tell her_. It was simply unthinkable that someone so beautiful, so smart, so _perfect_ could have any interest in a green freak like himself.

He breathed deeply again, her essence sparking delightful tingles all over his body but also making his muscles relax and his apprehension and fear fade. He felt himself becoming aroused, but he dismissed it easily. This was not about sex, though he desired her more than he desired anything else in his life. It was about feeling her intimately near, about being with her as close as he ever could and as he ever will be. He slowly released the grip in which his hidden love was held chained all day, every day, and let himself go. His mind slowly emptied of thoughts as he drifted into a deep, satisfied slumber, his face pressed into her pillow and his lips whispering her name.

She phased through the wall soundlessly, floating up until she could see him clearly. She took a risk, coming here like this, but she simply _knew_ it was him.

And now she knew why.

A small smile lifted a corner of her mouth. Two could play that game.

Gentle, ethereal strands of black magic covered him and lifted him carefully up, while her hand grasped and removed his own pillow from under his head. With the utmost care she lowered him again, making sure he was still fast asleep, her pillow still clutched against his chest and his face still buried in it.

His pillow went under her cloak. She was just about to levitate out of his room when she turned back, floated over and planted a tiny kiss on the tip of his ear.

The ear twitched, but he didn't wake.

"I love you, too, you idiot!" she whispered. The ear twitched again and a huge smile spread over his face as he buried it deeper into the downy comfort. She cast a final, affectionate glance at the sleeping changeling before she phased away as quiet as a ghost, heading for her room.


	2. Ten Years

**Ten Years**

Everything happened for a reason.

She didn't follow news sites, watch TV or read the papers. If the Universe ran on pure chance, as the scientists claimed, she would've remained blissfully unaware of the news. But she knew immediately that she learned about it for a reason, not because of simple randomness. There were no accidents in this plane of existence. No flukes, no serendipity.

Everything happened for a reason. She believed it with all her heart, all her soul, all her being.

She had to; if she acknowledged the impersonal, chaotic haphazardness of Nature it would tear her apart and drive her insane.

She exited the portal and stepped on the roof of the Tower. At first glance it was almost unchanged, except for the thick carpet of dust blown over by the wind and mixed with bird excrement, then churned and transformed by rainwater into an oily, clayish muck that covered everything. Ventilation ducts, half-eaten by rust, poked through it like the fingers of a corpse; cracked, pitted and decaying.

She floated to the edge of the roof and looked below. The heavy construction machinery was already in place, ready to begin the demolition announced for tomorrow. She expanded her empathic sense but could not detect any other human being on the small island.

That was good. She was not in the mood for company.

The mantra whispering softly through her lips, she phased down into the remains of the Ops room. Her eyes hardened; the appearance here was not so much one of decay, but rather one of a place thoroughly ransacked and then left to the mercy of the elements. Everything that may have had any value was torn out and looted; the furniture, the wiring, the electronics, the doors, the window glass. Even the metallic bulkheads on the walls were removed and taken away, leaving the naked concrete to unsuccessfully fight off lichen and fungus spreading over it in dark, stinking stains.

Several box-like items laid scattered on the floor. She smiled bitterly; they were CRT monitors, most of them broken. Once expensive pieces of equipment, now they were obsolete to the point that any attempt at salvaging them was uneconomic.

She crouched in front of one, noticing a small, heart-shaped bulge on its dusty edge. Her breath quickened and her hand went for it without conscious thought, wiping away the years of grime that hid its coloring. It was pink; a heart-shaped sticker pasted to the bezel beside the glass.

Only one of them would ever stick spongy pink hearts on a monitor's bezel.

The wish to scream and cry and weep and let it all out was overwhelming for a moment, but she fought it with clenched jaw and cramped fists. She took deep breaths to calm herself, then used her power to gently peel off the small token from the casing. Her hand closed over it as she lifted her head and straightened up, then floated through a yawning side doorway towards her room.

It was empty. She stood in the middle of it, taking in the void window frames and the accumulation of debris and birdshit below them.

There was nothing to see or feel here. Not even the ghosts of the years of her presence. She was about to turn around and leave when she felt someone… someone familiar. Wings flapped behind her as he landed. An almost inaudible crack of the weakened floor followed the increase in weight as he transformed into himself.

"I sensed you as soon as I arrived," he said softly. "Came here to say goodbye, too?"

She remained silent. He shifted his weight, opened his mouth, closed it. She could almost smile at how familiar it all was.

If only it didn't hurt so much.

He took a step towards the center of the room. "Y'know, I can still smell the incense. It's permeating the walls."

Still she refused to say anything. His hand rose and touched her shoulder. "The room… it still smells of you."

She shrank from his touch, turned around and floated out, her hood up, her eyes avoiding him. She levitated back down the hallway and towards the Ops room, the hem of her cloak brushing through the dust and debris without picking any stains.

Magic was so convenient for small things.

He followed her on catlike feet, his breathing silent and regular, his emotions flooding her in spite of the fact that he had finally learned to control them and deal with them.

It was as fine an accomplishment as one could wish for, but it came way too late.

Floating back into the Ops room, she released the levitation and stood in front of the huge hole that used to be the panoramic window. Her eyes sought the horizon, her face expressionless, her lips silent.

He stood beside and a little behind her. His hand went to rub the back of his head; an old mannerism he never got rid of.

"Rae… I know I fucked up. Believe me, if there's anything I could do to mend it or fix it or take it back to how it was before, I'd do it. But the only thing I can do is say I'm sorry. I really am."

"I know, Gar," she finally spoke. "I have forgiven you a long time ago." Her head turned and she gazed into his eyes. "But I will never forget."

He looked down. "I loved you," he whispered.

"You still do," she replied mercilessly. "Or are you going to tell me that any of those skinny blondes you're seeing has lasted more than two weeks?"

She saw the pain in his eyes and sighed. "I should go." A pale hand lifted and a black portal appeared. She turned to step through it.

"Rae?" his voice stopped her and made her look at him over her shoulder. He was wearing that same stupid grin, the one that used to make her heart beat faster, her breath quicken and her body heat up. Just like it did now.

"They were good times, right?"

She smiled. "The best."

She stepped through the portal and it vanished. He took a last look around, now seeing only crumbling debris, rot and decay. He shivered, shrank into a green seagull and flew away.


	3. Rebuttal

**Author's Note:** This one's a bit longer, but still too short to be out on itself. Also, I hope it makes a bit of a counterweight to the angst of the previous story.

-=oOo=-

 **Rebuttal**

Raven unclasped and removed her cloak, tossing it carelessly over the bench, picking up a towel and wiping the perspiration from her face and the back of her neck. She sat beside Starfire and reached into the cooler, retrieving a couple of water bottles and offering one to the Tamaranian, who accepted it with a smile and a polite, grateful nod. She drank greedily of the cold water, not caring that some of it escaped from the wide mouth of the container and ran down her cheeks and neck; the feeling of the icy liquid trickling over skin heated by exercise was refreshing and quite sensual.

The two of them had just finished a demanding but exhilarating sparring session, and now they could rest, relax and enjoy the view of the next training bout, another sparring face-off, this time between their two boyfriends.

Both girls watched the boys intently as they danced their violent ballet. It was a no-powers duel, which meant that Garfield was at a disadvantage, but it was a necessary and inescapable part of their training. Relying solely on their powers was a policy that would lead to disaster sooner rather than later. While he understood it and accepted it, Gar figured he wouldn't mind it if it didn't _hurt_ so much. But the rewards were worth it.

Raven frowned as she followed the duel, though inwardly she was quite pleased, and for two reasons. First, her green lover had improved a lot and he was holding his own against Richard far better than he used to. Second, and much more importantly, the sparring would leave quite a few bruises all over his body, bruises that she would have to treat. Of course, she could make such minor injuries all go away with little more than a snap of her fingers, but she much preferred to fuss over each and every one, grumbling and growling at him for his carelessness while she touched them gently and applied just that little extra power to make his skin tingle as if electrified.

Not that Gar didn't know what she was doing. He was far from being stupid, no matter what people may think. And she also knew that he knew, but they still played their little game, both of them enjoying it thoroughly, both of them knowing very well which way it led.

Inescapably, Raven's eyes began roaming over Garfield's body, a small grunt of satisfaction sneaking through her throat. He was more wiry than muscular, built like a runner or a jumper, as opposed to Richard, who had more of a gymnast's physique. While the latter may have been more appealing in an aesthetic sense, she knew which one she preferred.

Her grunt started turning into a long purr, before she caught herself and realized what she was doing. Her cheeks colored slightly and she cast a quick glance at Starfire, making sure she didn't notice it, then returned her attention to the boys, still locked in mock combat.

Soon enough she found herself again checking out her boyfriend. Yes, Richard's shoulders were wider and his muscles more defined, but still… the memory of how Gar's body felt under her fingers and her lips swamped her suddenly and she felt herself heating up. Azar, was it just this morning that they made love? It seemed to her like it was a lot longer than that.

She shivered a bit and considered wrapping herself in her cloak, but discarded the idea. The slight tremor was certainly not caused by cold. Her gaze went down, to her boyfriend's well-formed abs, again comparing them to those of their leader. There was less difference here, both sets were quite attractive.

Her gaze slid yet a bit lower, flickering from Gar to Dick and back. She smirked, appreciating the sight. The tight uniform pants both boys wore offered indeed a nice view. Leaning forward a little, she tried to get a better look at Richard, when Starfire's soft words startled her.

"Friend Raven? Are you studying parts of dear Dick's anatomy?"

Raven jerked as if burned, her face flushing. "What? No! No, I… How can you say that? I would never!"

Starfire giggled into her hand. "Do not speak the untruths to me, friend Raven! I was following your gaze as you examined –"

"I wasn't _examining,_ I was _comparing,_ all right?" the flustered sorceress blurted out. "It's not like I'd…"

"And what is the result of the comparison that you were making?" Starfire inquired, a mischievous smile on her lips, her green eyes glowing with amusement as she watched Raven blush ever more fiercely.

"I – I think that – I mean, Gar… That is to say, Richard has… you know, not like…" the sorceress stammered.

"Dear Dick has a definite advantage in size, does he not?" Starfire prodded, delighted for the opportunity to tease her best friend.

Raven was just about to let the earth literally swallow her – that is to say, to phase down through the floor and into the quiet privacy of her room – when the meaning of Starfire's words reached her numbed rationality. Her blush extinguished suddenly and her eyes tinted with a touch of red. No one, and that meant _no one_ – not even Starfire – was allowed to slight Garfield in her presence.

"Size is overrated," she growled at the Tamaranean. "Besides, the difference is small."

"I do not consider the difference to be so small," Starfire chortled, aware that Raven had accepted and returned her challenge. She was going to milk this occasion for all it was worth. "You should have the awareness that I am unable to grasp the entirety of Richard's –"

"Well, that doesn't prove anything!" Raven interrupted. "Gar is big enough that I have to use both hands if I want to –"

"On the contrary! Your hands, they are small and delicate, are they not? It serves to confirm the observation that I had made!"

Raven's jaw muscles bunched up and she frowned while her mind raced to find a way to win the argument.

"It is irrelevant, Kori. Size is unimportant!" she grumbled. "I find shape and firmness to be much more desirable characteristics!"

A shocked gasp came from behind them. They turned to see a stunned Cyborg staring at them wide-eyed, his mouth open and working soundlessly. Raven lifted an eyebrow at him.

"What is it, Victor?"

The half-robot squeezed his eye shut and closed his mouth, his huge metallic hands closing into enormous fists that shook for a few moments, until a scowl came over his face and he opened his eye, glaring at Raven angrily.

"What in the blindin' blue blazes are y'all _doin'?_ " he scolded them, a thick, metallic finger waggling accusingly. "Shame on you! Discussing your boyfriend's… _attributes!_ And just like that? This is so _improper_ , little sis!"

The girls returned Cyborg's glare. "Do you mind?" Raven said in a dangerously cold tone. "Our conversation is supposed to be private! If you don't like what you're hearing, stop listening!"

"Friend Raven is most correct, friend Cyborg!" Starfire chimed in with obvious annoyance. "Please abstain of doing more of the dropping of the eaves!"

Victor's face flushed dark with anger, but he swallowed his words and turned around, stomping away and muttering under his breath. Raven and Starfire watched him storm off.

"He can certainly get overprotective, can't he?" Raven harrumphed. "I really don't see why there's any problem with what we were discussing!"

"Friend Cyborg worries too much," Starfire said appeasingly, already forgetting her anger. "And his actions come from the affection that he has for us."

"I know," Raven replied. "But he does get overbearing at times. Now, as I was saying…"

Starfire smiled. "Let us agree that the size is a matter of the taste, but in that case I submit that so is the shape, is it not? And the firmness is not possible to determine from just looking."

A small, crooked, impish smile started spreading over Raven's face as she turned her head to look at her friend. "Then I suppose there is only one way to settle this," she stated quietly.

Starfire beamed. "Friend Raven! You mean…"

"I do, Star. Let us wait until they finish."

The girls leaned closer, watching carefully, whispering to each other every now and then and giggling often, especially Starfire. She was almost giddy with the prospect, but she forced herself to be patient and wait. Cyborg kept an eye on them from a few steps away, still seething, wondering what they were up to.

Finally, the sparring session came to an end and Garfield stretched out, listening to Richard as he pointed out the errors he had noticed and the best way to eliminate them in the future. They were so absorbed in their discussion that they didn't notice the two girls approach silently and stand behind them. Cyborg saw them move closer to the boys and he finally understood what they intended to do. He tried to run over and prevent them, to grab them both and bodily carry them away, to do anything to interrupt the terrible, immoral thing he knew they were going to do…

But he was simply paralyzed, the commands from his brain were lost somewhere on their way to his servos. He could just stand there and watch as panic overwhelmed him.

Raven and Starfire exchanged glances, then at a small nod from the sorceress their hands moved, seized and _squeezed_.

Cyborg fainted.

Two very girlish squeals merged into one as two very startled boys jumped at least four feet in the air, colliding at the high point of their jump, their arms going around each other in consternation. They dropped down, still embraced, staring in astonishment at the girls.

" _Raven!_ " Richard shouted, his face reddening.

" _Starfire!_ " Garfield squealed, blushing.

The two boys looked at each other, realized they were hugging and their arms dropped with some urgency, going behind their backs in a vain attempt at innocence. Their blushes deepened.

"Dude, did your girlfriend just…" Garfield asked Richard, his voice quavering.

"She did," he answered. "And Raven… she also… she…" he swallowed, still disbelieving. They turned to the girls that were completely oblivious to their discomfort and were finishing their debate.

"I think we have a drawing, friend Raven!" Starfire commented and linked her arm with the sorceress' as they turned and slowly floated away.

"The expression is 'a draw', but you are right, Star," Raven concluded. "They both have very nice and firm butts."

Garfield and Richard looked at each other again.

"They were checking out our _butts?_ " Dick wondered incredulously. The green shapeshifter suddenly grinned and elbowed his friend.

"I think we're up for an interesting evening, dude!"

The leader of the Titans blushed again, then returned Gar's grin. "I guess you're right!"

Only then they noticed the unconscious mass of metal and flesh on the floor.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Looks like he's passed out!" Gar frowned. "Can we throw a bucket of water on him?"


	4. Panty Raid

**Panty Raid**

" _Gar_ field."

The emphasis on the first syllable somehow transformed the word into a growl packed to the brim with infernal menace. It left a trail of cosmic coldness in the very air it travelled through as it rolled threateningly over the two boys, chilling their blood and hydraulic fluid with the promise of unending pain and eternal damnation that was barely kept constrained within its few letters.

Interrupted in the middle of a game and not understanding, Cyborg glanced at his friend, then at Raven. His face went ashen; he swallowed and tried to make himself as small as possible. Not an easy thing to do when you're a six-feet-eight, half-ton mass of titanium alloy with some organics thrown in for good measure.

It would be difficult for someone that didn't know Raven to imagine her looking threatening. Her short, slim figure and striking beauty gave her an almost fragile appearance; wrapped up in her preferred hooded cloak she recalled mystery to an unfamiliar mind rather than intimidation.

But there was something much scarier than the four blazing red eyes, something more frightening than the snarling rows of razor-sharp, shark-like teeth, something more disturbing than the wisps of black magic braiding themselves into tendrils that wound together into tentacles, swaying slowly around her, their tips quivering with delicious longing to wrap themselves around living flesh and rip, rend and tear. It was the aura of pure, almost elemental rage that flowed out of her in an impalpable yet overwhelming tide, strangling every rationality and clearing every consciousness nearby of any thought except for a wish to either flee in fear or freeze in panic.

The green changeling gulped. He may, just _may_ have gone a bit too far this time. Like several thousand miles too far.

"Heh… Hi, Rae! Um… Whassup?"

The four eyes focused on him. Cyborg half-expected to see a beam of concentrated fury fulminate out of them and incinerate his best friend, leaving only an unpleasant odor and a handful of ash on the couch.

"Give. It. Back." A part of Cyborg's mind wondered idly how was it possible for Raven's voice to be as cold as a dead comet while blazing with the ferocity of a star's core at the same time.

"Give what back?" Beast Boy asked with the most innocent and charming grin he could muster.

" _Now._ " The reply was a soft whisper, almost unheard by the ears, but sensed loudly and understood perfectly by that instinct that we all have, to curl up in fetal position and shiver in paralyzed terror.

"Uh… sure. Here." Beast Boy dug his hand into a pocket and it came out holding a small crumpled wad of midnight-blue fabric. It was immediately covered with a black mist and lifted up to float quickly towards Raven. As it levitated closer, it unfolded into its normal shape, that of a lacy thong. Cyborg opened his mouth for a surprised comment, but then remembered that life was still beautiful and that in any case there were less painful ways to commit suicide. He thought better of it and closed his mouth without speaking.

A pale hand poked out of the cloak, grasped the dainty piece of fabric and pulled it under the indigo curtain. The fire in Raven's eyes intensified.

A black sphere appeared around Beast Boy and propelled him immediately and forcefully through the closed window to fall in a sickeningly long parabola half a mile out in the ocean. The broken glass of the smashed window was still tinkling as it fell on the floor when the red eyes turned to Cyborg.

"Did he do this on your dare?"

Never was Cyborg so grateful for Raven's empathy. It allowed her to feel his sincerity as he answered.

"No, Rae. I didn't do anything. I didn't even know, I swear!"

She glared at him for a few moments, probably making sure he was not lying. Her eyes returned to normal, the demonic snarl faded and the tentacles vanished.

"You will not mention this to anyone. _Ever._ "

The large organic and metallic head nodded quickly and vigorously. Raven turned around and left. Cyborg let out a long, relieved breath and wiped the sweat from the human part of his forehead.

-=oOo=-

Some fifteen minutes later a drenched Garfield returned, dripping in salt water, his feet squelching as he walked. He was sporting an unusually large grin on his face.

"What's so funny? Y'all got lucky little sis didn't send ya to one of the Pits of Hell!" Cyborg growled. "Or maybe to several!"

Beast Boy waved his concern away with a dismissive hand, his grin widening. "Nah. Rae would never hurt me. She likes me!"

"If that was _liking,_ I'm glad I didn't see what _hating_ is supposed to be!" the half-robot grumbled. "And I can't say I blame her. Not after y'all pulled that stunt. What were you thinkin', going on a panty raid into Raven's closet?"

The green changeling lowered his wet body onto the couch, eliciting a disapproving frown from Cyborg. "I'm trying to get a reaction out of her," he explained, his grin coloring with a touch of guilt.

"Well, y'all certainly managed to do it," Cyborg shook his head in disbelief. "But somehow I don't think you went for the reaction you got."

Beast Boy rubbed the back of his head, still grinning. "Got me there. I'm trying to get her to confess that she likes me."

Cyborg scowled. " _Confess?_ Now listen here, Evergreen! I know you've got a crush on her, that's so obvious it hurts! But I think you're making a big mistake and deceiving yourself –"

Garfield looked at his friend and chuckled. "You don't get it, do ya? I don't have a crush on her." His grin faded and his eyes became unusually serious. "I love her, Cy. I'm completely, absolutely, totally in love with her."

The huge half-robot blinked while his neural net slowly absorbed the meaning of the words. He heaved a deep sigh, sat beside his friend and placed a huge metallic hand on his shoulder.

"Damn it, man. I'm really sorry for ya."

"Why would you feel sorry for him?" a flat, emotionless voice snapped both their heads around. Their faces paled again, one to ash, the other to lime.

"Uh… I… um… we…" Cyborg fought to overcome the paralysis of his vocal apparatus. He swallowed and found his voice again. "How long've you been listening to us, little sis?"

"Long enough," she said calmly as she glided over. "Now, I recall that you mentioned you needed to align the plasma injector on the T-Car? This would be a good moment to do it."

Cyborg looked at her open-mouthed and uncomprehending until she lifted an eyebrow. The gesture was enough to scald him into frenzied action.

"Yes, the injector! Yes, good idea! Yes, I'll do it right away!" He jumped to his feet and vanished from the Ops room in a few quick, long, urgent strides. Raven turned to Garfield, who appeared to be transformed into a block of solid malachite, an apprehensive glow in his eyes the only sign of life he was giving.

"As for you…" she said coldly, "First you will repeat all that you said, to me, directly. Then you will explain why you didn't say it before." She lifted her hand and her eyes glowed white. Black strands of magic enveloped the still-stunned shapeshifter and lifted him from the couch to deposit him right in front of her.

"Then," she said as she leaned closer to him and as her voice warmed up into a croon, "then we will discuss your obsession with my panties."


	5. Scars

**Author's Note:** This was a prompt for DickKory Week 2017 on Tumblr, but I liked it and made a BBRae story out of it. Sue me :-)

-=oOo=-

 **Scars**

"Do they hurt?" Her voice was a silky whisper, caressing him just as gently as her hands.

"Mmmmm," he purred, immersed in the sensation of her fingers gliding over the ridged and puckered skin on his back. "No. They're just scars."

He felt a feathery kiss on his shoulder before she spooned up to him and her arms snaked around him to pull him closer.

"I could heal them. Make them go away," she murmured in his ear. It twitched, tickled by her warm breath.

The bed creaked as he shifted and turned to face her. His arms enveloped her and he regarded her curiously. "Why?"

"No reason," she muttered, looking away. He frowned, observing her carefully.

"You can't lie to me, Rae. Just as I can't lie to you."

She remained silent. He scented her unease and heard the slight change in the pattern of her breathing.

"What is it?"

She tightened her grip on him, trying to hide her face in his shoulder. He brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead, then bent his head and kissed her just beside the chakra stone.

"Rae…"

"I'm… sorry. It must have hurt…"

His frown deepened. "It did. A lot. But it happened a long time ago, long even before I met you. It's in the past."

She was silent again. He sighed and tried a different approach.

He slid his lips lovingly over her ear and her cheek, leaving tiny kisses in their wake, inviting her out. Soon enough she turned her head, her lips seeking his. They kissed slowly and languidly for a long while.

The kiss ended. Her eyes opened and she looked at him, then shifted her gaze away. She bit her lower lip, then spoke quietly.

"I just… don't like the idea of you suffering."

He closed his eyes. He felt his chest tighten, his heart swelling so much it hurt.

"Do you love me?" he asked suddenly. He could feel her tense against him, surprised by his words.

He just had to smile when he opened his eyes and saw her expression. There it was, that well-known glow of exasperation mixed with love shining in those violet depths.

"That's got the be the stupidest, most idiotic question –"

He kissed her lightly, interrupting her. "Just answer it."

She stared at him for a few seconds more, then again sought to bury her face into him.

"Sometimes… Sometimes I feel afraid of how much I do."

It made him shiver. His fingers traced a comforting pattern through her hair.

"They are a part of me. Part of what you love."

"I know." Her voice was muffled, her face still pressed into his chest.

"We are the same, Rae," he hummed into her ear. "Just because you don't have scars on your body doesn't mean you don't have them on your soul. They make you who you are."

She lifted her head. There was moisture in her eyes.

"Do you love me?"

He chuckled. "Throwing my own question back at me? Not very original, love."

She rubbed her forehead on his shoulder. "Don't be coy. Just answer."

"You're the empath," he grinned at her. "You tell me."

She looked at him, her eyes dark. Suddenly he felt his heart hammering in his throat.

"I need to hear you say it, Gar."

He swallowed his heart down where it belonged. "I love you."

She squirmed deeper into his embrace. "Good. Because I would go happily through all of that again, just knowing you would be waiting for me at the end of the road."

"Raven…"

She pushed him on his back, into the pillows. Her body loomed over him. "No more talking," she whispered fiercely and kissed him.


	6. Did You Kiss Me?

**Did You Kiss Me?**

Awareness returns through pain.

All around her, the pain. Without gradients or changes, without source or direction.

Then she senses the smells. Antiseptic and chlorine. And… a familiar whiff of something else. It recalls warmth, and safety, and…

Soft electronic beeping, reassuringly rhythmical.

Gravity pressing her into the bed, the linen crisp and clean beneath her.

It buoys up the concept of having a body. Now finding a host, the pain gathers and resolves and defines itself, nuancing into aching and hurting and agony. The idea of Time crystallizes and has meaning again.

Lying on her… back. She has… legs. Arms.

Fingers? They twitch a little as her brain reestablishes control. Good. Toes? They wiggle, too.

Eyes. Open them. Lids heavy… She tries with all her might, but someone has tied huge weights on them and she can't make them move.

Focus, Raven.

 _Raven?_

Oh, yes. Now she remembers.

Awareness of herself gives her strength and her lids flutter open. She whimpers and squeezes them shut; the light's just too bright.

"Rae?" the voice is soft and hesitant and hearing it makes her want to purr, if only there wasn't so much pain. She squints at its source. A green blur…

The light doesn't seem so bright now. She ventures to open her eyes wider. An emerald gaze welcomes her, affectionate and joyful, brimming with concern. A toothy grin with a fang poking through. The sight fills her with sweet confusion and the unceasing pounding of pain-filled waves slackens. She wants to see more, hear more.

 _Is it not forbidden?_ a part of her mind suggests. She brushes it away. It is inconsequential. She is drugged on anesthetics, lethargic and dizzy, and the face and the voice and the scent are comforting and calming and they soothe the hurt away.

The face turns from her. The eyes are gone. She would whine her disappointment, but she doesn't have the strength.

"Hey, Bolt Bucket! She's coming around!"

Her brow creases; the sound's too loud.

She opens her mouth. She needs to say something, but she has no idea of what or why. A breathed whisper comes out.

"Aarff…"

She knows he can hear her. Her mind is confused and numb and clouded, but she knows.

He turns. Concern glows in his soul, its light woven around strands of love.

"Did you say something?" His voice is distressed and guilty. "Don't speak, you've been hurt bad. Cy's coming, don't worry."

There's frustration at his failure to understand, and the feeling is sweetly, comfortingly familiar. Her mind gropes for a memory, any memory, to put context on it, but it can't.

"Arrf."

He frowns. "I told ya, don't try to speak. Your ribs are broken and your lungs punctured. You mustn't exert them."

She blinks her reluctant understanding. Heavy footsteps approach. A half-human, half-metallic monster looms over her, but she does not feel threatened. She tries to smile.

"Glad to see y'all's back with us, little sis!" His voice is deep but cheery. It calms her. She makes a huge effort to arch an eyebrow.

White teeth flash at her as the half-metal man grins. The expression moves her memory and his name floats up. _Cyborg._

"It was Cinderblock," he explains. "Hit you on the side. You brought up one of those black shields of yours, but he smashed right through it."

Her eyes close and memories flood in.

She rips a streetlamp from the ground and strikes the creature with it. It staggers, then turns to her. Its fist is a blur. Her power solidifies blackly in front of her. There's the pain of her soul-self shattering, a strangely muted thud, a sensation of flying, the feeling of her breath knocked out of her and her head banging on something hard, and stars in her eyes.

A blank.

Dazed awareness. Inhuman roars. Crashing, banging. A familiar voice shouting " _Beast Boy, stop!_ "

Again blackness.

Strong arms carrying her. Her head nestled on a warm chest. No pain, just his scent and his heartbeat, quick like a hummingbird's.

Nothing more.

She opens her eyes again and looks at her big brother. She smiles again, then her eyes start seeking.

"Arrf?"

"Shhh. Don't speak."

"Mmm. Ust."

The eyes roll in the large head. "No, ya don't. Now sleep, and heal. Can you go into that trance of yours?"

"Y… es."

"Then do it." He pats her hand and rises. "Let's go, Greenbean!" he commands. "Leave Rae to her healing."

"Yeah, give me a couple of minutes, Chrome Dome, willya?"

"Whatever. If you don't hurry up, I'll eat your pizza too, tofu cheese or not." He strides away. The infirmary is silent but for the placid rhythm of beeping instruments.

"I… just wanted to apologize," the voice startles her a bit.

"For…what?" she whispers. Her strength is returning together with her memories.

"It was my fault. I overextended and you tried to cover me."

"Tri… cera… tops." It was all coming back

"Yeah. Concrete-brain hit me, too, but there's a difference in the amount of punishment a human and a ten-ton dinosaur can absorb. I only got bruised."

She smiles and closes her eyes. Her mind is almost completely clear now. Only…

"So then you hit him with the street lamp, and he went for you, and then…"

For a moment rage, guilt and anguish pour out of him but they're immediately choked and buried. She frowns. It reminds her that something's missing. A part of her memories is still incomplete, and she doesn't even remember which one. She only knows it's important.

"Then… what?"

He fidgets. "Then? I… I mean, then we took Cinderblock down. And we brought you back. Nothin' more."

Her frown deepens. He's not lying but he's not telling her the full truth, either. Her eyes study his face. His eyes. His lips.

She finally remembers. The stimulus that brought her back from unconsciousness is now clear. Her eyes widen at the realization.

She licks her lips. Yes, the taste is still there.

He sees her, understands and starts retreating.

"Beast… Boy," she stops him.

"I gotta go, Cy's gonna eat my pizza…"

"Gar… field. Wait."

He stands mute while a flush slowly creeps up his face.

She realizes she's still frowning and for some reason decides to remain that way.

"Did… you… kiss me?"

He looks down, his blush glowing.

Her voice rises into a croak. "Gar… field?"

"I'm sorry…" he whispers almost soundlessly. "I was so worried for you…"

Her frown clears and a small smile lights her face.

"Do it… again."


	7. Alone Time

**Alone Time**

"You're leaving me alone with _him?_ " Raven growled at Robin. "How am I supposed to get peace and quiet if –"

"Rae, _please!_ " Robin's voice was imploring. "I was planning this date with Star for _weeks!_ It's not my fault that Cy had to go see Sarah!"

The violet-haired sorceress glared at him, fists on her hips. She spared a scowling glance towards the green changeling who was absorbed in a game and totally oblivious to their conversation.

Her glare turned back to Robin. "For the record, I'm doing this for Star!" she grumbled. "You've been neglecting her lately, and she deserves to have some fun."

The leader of the Titans blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, shifting from leg to leg. "I know. You're right. That's another reason I need this so badly. I know Beast Boy isn't the best company for you –"

"I just need him to _leave me alone,_ but he doesn't seem to understand the concept behind those three simple words!"

Robin sighed. "Just… just try not to kill him, all right?"

"Humph!" she snorted. "No promises!"

Turning on her heel, she headed to the couch and curled up in its corner, opening her book. "Enjoy yourselves!" she shot at him dismissively and dove into the novel's contents.

Shaking his head, Robin headed for the garage where Starfire was already waiting for him.

-=oOo=-

" _YEAH! HIGH SCORE, BABY!_ " his shout shattered her tranquility and lit the fuse of her anger.

"Do you mind screaming a bit _quieter?_ " she had to shout to make herself heard over the victorious song-and-dance he was performing. "I'm trying to _read!_ "

"Awww, Rae-Rae, c'mon!" he beamed at her. "Aren't you happy I've beaten Chrome Dome's record? I'm _so_ rubbing it in his face when he gets back!"

"My. Name. Is. _Raven!_ " a threatening growl issued forth from deep in her chest and through tightly clenched teeth to wash over the undaunted changeling. He just waggled his eyebrows at her.

"I know!" he smirked, then winked. "I also know you secretly love it when I call you by a nickname!"

Raven's eyes blazed suddenly with an icy fire. Not the freezing-cold kind, but rather a liquid-nitrogen-cold. Her voice shook with barely controlled anger.

"Listen to me, you idiot!" she lashed at him. "I don't know where you get these delusions from, but Azar help me, next time you do it I'll slap you so hard you'll be talking to your liver! _Am I making myself clear?_ "

Garfield's cheer evaporated at her words and he frowned. "Hey, no need to be insulting, mamma! I'm not an idiot!"

"Yes, you are!"

His frown deepened. "Oh yeah?" he told her as he stepped closer. "Well then, Miss Oh-So-Sensitive, why don't you go back to your gloomy room and read _there?_ "

" _Because,_ you dumb collection of the dumbest creatures the Animal Kingdom has to offer, I _live_ in this Tower!" she snarled. "And I expect to be able to _read_ in _peace_ anywhere I _want!_ "

Beast Boy was scowling at her by now and his fang was protruding dangerously. "Did it ever occur to _Your Excellency_ that I _also_ live here?"

"Believe me, it did!" she shouted. "Much to my despair!"

"Well, then, I have the same right to leisure as you do!" he shouted back. "I'm sick and tired of your act, Raven! You're behaving like a spoiled _brat!_ "

" _Me?_ A _brat?_ " she screamed incredulously. "Is this coming from a certain immature, insufferable, impossible, overgrown _child?_ "

"Yes, it is!" he roared, throwing all caution to the devil. "Because it's better to be a child than a bitchy, bratty, insensitive _witch!_ "

Raven's eyes split double and lit up with red hellfire. "That's _enough,_ you stupid _beast!_ " she screeched in a hideously changed voice.

His eyes narrowed and his pupils shrank until they were two pinpoints. His lips pulled back in a snarl, the fangs gleaming wickedly. Claws ripped through the tips of his gloved fingers and twitched convulsively. "Yes, demon!" he growled menacingly. "It's _enough!_ "

She waved a hand and a console nearby exploded. "Good," she hissed and her expression turned into one of hunger. "Security cameras are off. Let's get on with it!"

Black magic enveloped him and his clothing was torn off, leaving angry welts rising where pieces of fabric scoured his skin viciously as they were rent away. His claws shredded her cloak and leotard, indifferent to the twin trails of bloody marks that appeared on her soft, pale skin.

His head shot forward and he sank his teeth into her neck as she bit down savagely on his shoulder. That was all the foreplay they needed.

-=oOo=-

Garfield shifted a bit to snuggle better against her. "Ow," he complained softly, then settled quietly.

She ran a gentle hand through his hair while he nuzzled her neck. "Do you want me to heal it?"

"Mmmm. A bit later."

They both lapsed into silence, arms embraced and legs entangled. She kept on brushing her fingers though his unruly locks while enjoying the caress of his breath on her throat.

She felt him land a tender, butterfly kiss on her neck. "As wonderful as it is, we shouldn't indulge in this too often," he murmured. "It's hard on the clothes."

She giggled. "You're right. I had to buy three new sets, and I think Star is getting suspicious!"

He snuggled in deeper. She felt his hips shift as his leg rubbed between her thighs with delicious friction. She purred softly, the heat flaring up again in her loins. He scented the musk rising from her and ground his hips into her in response. She rocked back against him and felt him harden, his desire pouring into her in a sweet, irresistible tide through her empathy. The need quickly built up in them again, fueled by the virtuous circle of their combined senses.

"Too lazy to get up," he breathed in her ear. "Why don't you just magic us to your room?"

"Why my room?" she crooned, her eyes closed. She was drinking in his emotions and letting herself drown in them.

"I'm in the mood for something more… gentle," he whispered playfully. "It will take some time."

She smiled crookedly. "If you insist…"

-=oOo=-

"Gar…" she let out an explosive whisper, trying to get him to stop for a moment.

"Mmmm?" he hummed, his mouth too busy to speak.

"I just remembered. Our clothes… they're all over the Ops room."

He lifted his head and smiled at her. "You mean, what's left of our clothes?"

She chuckled. "If the others come back and see it… Who knows what they may think?"

"That someone kidnapped us?"

"No, Gar!" she grumbled. "But they could…"

"We've been hiding it for months now, Rae. Maybe it's time."

"I suppose so," she sighed, then smirked at him. "I'd say there's little chance of you going back there and picking up all the pieces?"

"Oh, I'd go no problem," he grinned back. "But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want me to leave right now." He brushed his lips over the base of her throat, making her hiss in a sharp breath.

"Screw it," she whispered. "They'll find out sooner or later!"


	8. Forever

**Forever**

Twenty.

Two-zero.

Somehow he expected it to be different, but it turned out to be a day like all others, beginning at midnight and silently brightening into dawn and morning, the sun crawling ever up to its highest point and then slowly dipping towards the horizon through a long, lazy afternoon and evening. Nothing special, nothing extraordinary.

Except that he wasn't a "teenager" any more. He was sure he should be feeling… _unusual_. Older. Wiser. More mature. But try as he might, he couldn't sense any difference. He was still the same green changeling that he always was.

He tried to shrug the disquiet off and relax, enjoy his birthday and share it with all his friends. They made a grand party for him and just about _everybody_ was there, dancing, singing, joking, having a great time.

Except for the one person that he _really_ wanted to be with.

She tried to stay, tried to share it with him, but the distress was rich in her scent and her heartbeat reverberated in an anxious staccato. He literally had to carry her to her room while she fought him weakly all the way, even as the combined emotions of so many guests tore her apart.

In the end they struck a deal: she would stay in her room, where the feelings swamping her empathic sense were sufficiently attenuated to allow her to regain a few pieces of tranquility, but in exchange he had to leave her and rejoin the party so the guests wouldn't be unattended.

He chuckled. He didn't have to be old and wise and mature to know that Raven's concern wasn't about the guests, but about him. She wanted him to go and have fun, celebrate, revel in the company of friends that he didn't have the chance to see as often as he wished.

"What's the big deal?" she would ask in that familiar, dry tone of hers if he complained. "You see me every day."

He smiled and shook his head, wondering if she'd ever get it.

He mingled and talked, joked and danced, drank and shouted, teased and played. And every minute he would send a yearning glance at the door, the desire to run and be with her almost overwhelming.

A large, metallic hand landed finally on his shoulder.

"Just go already," his friend said quietly. "Nobody's gonna hold it against you."

Ten seconds later, he was at her door.

He walked in silently, not wishing to disturb her. She lifted her gaze from the book she was reading and smiled, her eyes glowing with love. He felt his heart swell, his chest too small to hold it inside.

She placed the book beside her and rose, walking over and embracing him. Her face burrowed in the crook of his neck while he ran his fingers through the soft silk of her hair. He sighed deeply, finally content.

After a few blissful moments she pulled away. "I didn't give you my present," she said softly. At a wave of her hand many candles burst into life, bathing the usually gloomy room in a soft yellow radiance. She went to her nightstand and removed a long, narrow wooden box from its drawer.

"Rae, you didn't have to –"

"Hush. Of course I did."

She opened the box and took something from it, then turned and offered it to him. His hand went up to take it and his eyes went down to see it; it was a rose.

A violet rose.

He took the flower gingerly, mindful of the thorns, his hand trembling slightly. He opened his mouth, but he couldn't form a single coherent thought in his mind, let alone force it though his throat.

Raven noticed his hesitation. "I'm… I wasn't sure if… a flower would be… appropriate," she began, her voice choking slowly into a whisper. She swallowed and tried to read his emotions, but the swirling maelstrom that thundered in his soul was too blinding to discern anything.

She bit her lip. "I… I know you don't like books much, and I thought… maybe a comic, but I didn't know which ones you've read…"

He remained silent, staring at the flower.

She took a deep breath and tried to keep the trembling from her voice. "I thought… I thought of a computer game, also, but… but I… didn't know…"

His thumb moved slowly over the delicate stem until it felt the sharp tip of a thorn. He pressed down hard. The pain shot through him and woke him from his stupor.

He lifted the flower and took a deep breath, tasting the sweet fragrance of the rose and… something else. Something wonderfully familiar and painfully addictive.

"Rae…" he looked up and saw her eyes, the dew in them shining like jewels in the soft candlelight. "This… this is you."

Her gaze dropped and a blush crept up her cheeks. "I've… enchanted it with my soul-self. It will remain… fresh."

She looked up into his eyes again and he understood. "How long?" he asked in a choked whisper.

Her arms went around him and she lowered her head on his shoulder.

"Forever."


	9. Urges

Author's Note: Big thanks to my friend Bearhow for beta-reading this and for his suggestions!

-=oOo=-

 **Urges**

" _Out of my room!_ " the shout burst through the door as it swished open and a large green cat sprinted through it, yowling in distress. " _OUT!_ " another scream followed, together with an assortment of loose objects thrown forcefully to impact against the opposite wall.

A very angry and very pregnant apparition from Hell floated through the door, its four blazing eyes catching just a glimpse of a green tail disappearing around a corner. The fire in them faded and they merged back into their normal shape, their amethyst color now clouded by tears.

Raven pulled her communicator out with a trembling hand. "Cyborg," she spoke hoarsely into the device. "My room. _Now._ "

-=oOo=-

Cyborg scratched the back of his head. It was pure mannerism, there was no way titanium alloy could have itched. But there was no denying that he was confused.

"Um… Rae? I'm here!" he called out to the empty room.

"Take it _away!_ " a muffled but no less furious voice came from the bathroom. "Take it away and _burn it!_ "

He turned to the closed door of the bathroom. "Burn what?" he asked. "You're not making any sense, little sis!"

"The linen, the blankets, the _mattress!_ " Raven's voice shook with rage. The bathroom door opened a crack. "His _clothes!_ Wrap it all up, take it away and _incinerate it!_ "

"Rae…"

"Wait, there's more!" she growled and fell silent for a few seconds, then a naked, pale arm extended through the partially opened door offering him a blue-wrapped bundle. "This, too!"

He took the bundle and lifted a corner of the wrapping. "These are your clothes?" he asked incredulously.

"He _touched_ them! _Burn_ them!"

Cyborg sighed. He tossed the bundle over the bed, then used the blanket to wrap it all together with everything else. "What the hell happened, Rae?" he asked as he worked.

The bathroom door slid open a little again. "Ask him. I can't… Let him tell you. I have to shower. I have to _scrub_ myself… Ugh!" she growled. "My skin _crawls!_ "

The door closed again. Sounds of running water could be heard. Cyborg rolled his eyes, picked everything up and carried it to the incinerator.

-=oOo=-

Cyborg's palm slapped over his face and eyes. "Are you _insane?_ " his fingers split open a little and his human eye glared between them at the cowed changeling. "What in the blindin' blue blazes possessed you to –"

"Dude, I get _urges,_ OK?" Beast Boy frowned. "I'm the entire Animal Kingdom put together! And that means that sometimes I need to –"

"Rrrrngh!" Cyborg's growl interrupted him. The half-robot's metallic hands clenched into huge, dangerous fists and he grit his teeth. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and counted to ten.

"Dude. Think. I know it's not your strong side, but _think,_ " Cyborg felt himself relax as he fell into the Older Brother role. "Besides the utter _idiocy_ of what you did, do you realize how _dangerous_ it is?"

He stared into a pair of confused green eyes. He sighed again. "Do you have any idea of how many diseases you've just exposed Raven to?"

The green eyes widened in fear and concern. "But I…"

"You never thought of it. Yeah, doesn't surprise me." The metal man's hand went around Beast Boy's shoulder. "She's half-demon, and I've yet to see her fall sick, but still. And let's not forget…"

"The baby," Garfield whispered, his ears drooping and his eyes staring at the floor. Cyborg nodded, though his friend couldn't see it.

He squeezed Gar's shoulder and got up, looking down at his friend. "Let's go to the infirmary and have you checked out, then you can go and beg Raven to forgive you."

Beast Boy looked up hopefully. "Dude, you think she will?"

Cyborg shrugged. "All y'all can do is try," he said coldly, then smirked. "No worries, though. I'll bring flowers often and look after your grave."

-=oOo=-

"Um… Rae?" his voice quavered as he addressed the pregnant sorceress who was wrapped in a bathrobe, floating a foot off the floor in lotus position. Her lips moved soundlessly mouthing her mantra.

 _Good sign,_ a detestably rational part of his brain commented. _She's probably calm enough not to kill me outright._

He shuffled in and approached her with quite a bit of trepidation. He lowered himself in front of her, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed. "Look, I'm sorry…"

The almost soundless drone of Raven's mantra stopped and her lips pressed together. An eye opened and regarded him with cold anger.

"Are you, now?"

He felt heat rise to his face, but he forced himself not to look away. "I am," his voice grated. "I know I screwed up. I promise, I'll never –"

"Why did you do it?" she cut him off. He could almost see the icicles hanging from her words.

His gaze dropped. "I… I had… an urge. It's my… the animals inside me. I just couldn't resist." He looked at her again. "They were all so playful, and so full of life, and so... friendly."

Raven's eyebrows shot up. "They?" she asked, incredulous. "There was more than one?"

"I'm… not sure. I kinda lost count… I – I mean we – were, uh, swept away. You know how it is."

"No, I don't." Her voice could cut steel and freeze Hell.

He hunched his head between his shoulders in shame and his eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Rae. I really am," he said, his voice breaking.

For a few seconds she just stared at him, breathing deeply. He didn't dare look at her. She finally floated closer and her hand caressed his face. "I know, Gar. I'm an empath," she assured him quietly. "I can feel your sincerity."

He couldn't help himself but lean into her touch. Her slender fingers ghosted over his cheek, then traced his ear, making him shiver. She dug them into his hair and scratched him gently, like she would a small kitten. His foot twitched and he began purring.

Then her touch was gone. "Are you clean?" she asked, her voice suddenly a menacing growl.

His eyes flew open, his mind still dazed and disoriented. "Uh? I… Yes! Yes, I am!" he stammered, finally understanding what she was asking about. "Yes, I showered carefully and Cy did a full test on me! I'm clean as a whistle!"

Raven relaxed, then turned around and floated backwards into his embrace, snuggling in. His arms went around her, one clasping her shoulders, the other caressing gently the large bulge of her belly.

"I will forgive you, Gar," she whispered. "But you'll have to promise me something."

"I will!" he said eagerly. "I promise! Never again –"

"Stop!" she cut him off. "Don't make promises you can't keep!" She turned her head and looked at him sharply. "That's not what I meant. We both know it will happen again. It's just a question of time."

"But Rae…"

Her glare faded and she gave him a small, warm kiss. "It's who you are, Gar. I love you. I love all of you, even the parts that I may not like." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'll just have to learn to live with it."

"Then what –"

"Did Vic tell you about the dangers?" she looked at him, her eyes studying him. He nodded "Yeah."

"Then promise me you'll take care of yourself, and of me, and of our baby," she told him firmly. "Gar… I know how much you hate it, but you'll have to use protection."

He nodded vigorously. "I will, Rae. I promise!" A grin spread over his face. "You're right, I hate it, but knowing it'll keep you safe I'll have no problems."

Satisfied, she gave him another small kiss and snuggled into his embrace. He buried his face in her hair.

"It's a small price to pay, Rae. I swear I'll do it," he whispered into her ear. "I'll wear a flea collar every time I go to play with wild animals."

She smirked first, then her eyes hardened. "Good. Because next time you come back full of fleas and lice and ticks I will _personally_ incinerate you!"


	10. Rescue

**Rescue**

The Beast's claws tore into the door. It was made of four-inch-thick solid vanadium steel; it could've been silly putty for all the resistance it offered.

It was wrenched out of its mountings with a horrid screech of tormented metal that almost made the ears bleed, followed by an inhuman howl redolent of rage and vindictiveness. Before the door had time to clang heavily on the floor, the Beast was already upon the legion of Slade-bots waiting inside. He ripped and tore and maimed and ravaged his way through them, careless of the beams and slugs that struck his impervious hide. Any laser beam or high-caliber round that did manage to penetrate and do any appreciable damage only fed his fury; the scrapes and burns and wounds closed and healed almost as quickly as they were created.

Starbolts, sonic blasts and birdarangs mopped up any stragglers remaining in his wake as he moved ever forward, following her scent. His arms swept in wide, fearsome arcs, the razor-sharp talons shredding metal, plastic, concrete and glass with equal ease, sending an unending shower of debris and sparking robot parts all around to bounce off the walls and litter the floor almost knee-deep, slowly crackling and fizzling out.

The scent of his mate brought him to yet another metal door. A huge green fist slammed into it ferociously, crumpling it like paper and sending it crashing deafeningly against the opposite wall. He bounded inside, following the scent that took him unerringly towards the holding cells.

Tough steel bars were swept aside, bent and broken like noodles. Quickly loping over, he sniffed her anxiously and broke carefully the manacles that held her chained to the wall.

"I'm fine, Gar, calm down!" she croaked through a parched throat. The snarl on his face faded as his sense of smell confirmed her words. His talons went to her neck and crushed the power-dampening collar with utmost care, without leaving a single mark on her skin. He scooped her up lovingly and her arms went around his thick neck, barely able to envelop it completely.

"It's all right, Gar. I'm fine. I'm not hurt. Calm down. Relax," she hummed, feeling the Beast's rage and anxiety diminish and fade. Her hand scratched him behind the ear, bringing out a low, rumbling purr from deep in his chest. She smiled, knowing that he would unwind now that he knew she was safe. Her hand went to the clasp of her cloak and she removed it. He will soon need it more than she did.

Suddenly a whiff of a dangerous scent made his ears prick up and his head turn. His enemy was there, a weapon in his hands, observing them coldly through the only eye-slit in his mask.

The Beast snarled and lowered his mate down gently, then turned to face the threat. But before anyone could do anything, three mystic words rang out and a bolt of black power streaked towards the one-eyed mercenary. He threw himself aside, dodging the blast. The demonic energy struck the wall and obliterated it. The ceiling and the remainder of the wall collapsed and buried their opponent beneath tons of rubble.

The Beast breathed deeply and swiveled his sensitive ears, searching for signs of danger and finding none. Just as he started relaxing again he heard the footsteps of the other members of his pack approaching. He turned to them and growled menacingly. Packmates or not, right now _no one_ was allowed near his mate.

The approaching trio stopped, heeding both the threatening growl and Raven's hand, raised in warning. A hint of apprehension enriched their combined scents and his growl deepened, fueled by the instinctive reaction of a hunter to frightened prey.

"Stop that!" an irritated voice brought him back. He turned his large head to look at her and rumbled dismissively. He had switched from protector to predator in a heartbeat, and right now he wanted to go hunting.

"Garfield!" There was a cold, sharp edge to her words. It reminded him of _why_ she was his mate. "That's _enough!_ "

He roared at the ceiling in frustration, without any effect on her except for the deepening of her frown. He snorted, his shoulders slumped and he bent his head, offering her his neck with a guilty whine.

"I'm not biting your neck, Gar!" she grumbled in disgust. "I'd be picking hairs out of my teeth for days!"

The huge head bent lower, butting gently against her shoulder. She sighed, rolled her eyes and scratched him again behind the ears. The deep, rumbling purr that came from his throat slowly quieted, and he shrunk into his human form.

She wrapped her cloak around him. As she expected, he was naked. The transformation into the Beast was unlike his usual morphing; it was practically a switch to _all_ the animals combined.

Raven steadied him as he swayed on his feet, feeling dizzy. It was a normal reaction to the massive change he'd just undergone; his human side had to reestablish itself and it left him dazed for a few minutes until the process was completed.

"Y'all OK, little sis?" Cyborg's concerned voice made her look up.

"I'm fine. Whatever Slade wanted with me, he never got around to it."

"Are you sure, Rae? You never know with that one," their leader said, unconvinced. The only answer he received was an expressively raised eyebrow. He shook his head in defeat.

"I'll teleport Gar to the Tower. You can meet us there," Raven said in her best monotone, then a small smile tugged at her lips on one side of her face, making it ever so crooked.

"You don't need to hurry, though. Go and treat yourselves to a pizza." Her smile expanded with a definite note of mischief. "Make it a big one."

A black portal opened and swallowed the couple. Starfire giggled and Cyborg facepalmed. Robin tried to hide the blush he felt burning on his face. "You heard the boss!" he grumbled to the others and they followed him out.


	11. Flying

The two spacecraft raced each other through an improbably complex maze. The two youths sat on the couch with game controllers in their hands, completely absorbed in directing the crafts' flight. The silence in the Ops room was broken only by the sounds of the game; even their taunting banter had tapered off as they struggled to get an edge over their opponent.

"Yo, Rob!" Beast Boy called out, his eyes firmly on the screen. "Didya ever do it while flying?"

"Do what?" Robin inquired without tearing his eyes away from the game.

"Y'know, _it!_ " Beast Boy clarified. "As in, y'know, _that._ "

The leader of the Titans spared a disbelieving glance at his teammate, quickly returning it to the screen and barely avoiding an obstacle.

"Do what while _what?_ " he asked again, a rich note of incredulity creeping into his voice.

"I told ya, dude! Do _that!_ " Beast Boy's voice was slightly annoyed at his leader's lack of understanding. "While _flying._ "

This time Robin turned his head to look more carefully at Beast Boy. "Gar, are you asking me if…"

"Yeah."

"While flying."

"Yeah."

Another obstacle loomed in front of the craft. Robin turned the ship viciously, overcompensated and crashed into the side wall. He shook his head as if trying to clear it. "I can't fly, Gar."

"Neither can I," the green changeling replied, his eyes still nailed to the screen, his fingers still mashing the controller furiously. "I mean, I can, if I turn into a bird or something. But if I do, I can't, y'know, do _that._ "

Robin almost choked. "Gar!"

"Star can fly."

"She can, but…"

"So can Rae."

"I don't think we should –"

"Y'know, I bet it would be _awesome,_ " Garfield continued. "Can you dig it?"

"While _flying?_ "

"Yeah."

"But how –"

"Imagine it, dude!" Beast Boy's gaze finally wrenched itself away from the screen as he looked at his leader, his eyes shining. "While _flying!_ "

Gar's craft also crashed and burned. A huge GAME OVER – NO WINNERS sign appeared on the screen. Neither noticed.

"Gar, if we can't fly, I don't see how –" Robin growled

"That's the whole idea, dude!" Beast Boy said, the excitement mounting in him. "Think about it! You're all, like, totally helpless, vulnerable, depending on her not to drop you! And she's all, like, holding your life in her hands, in total control over you!"

"We're not having this conversation, Gar!" the Boy Wonder's face was already glowing as red as his vest. He threw the controller on the coffee table in disgust and left the Ops room in a hurry.

-=oOo=-

His hands roamed freely over her while they floated a couple of feet above her bed. She held him with legs clamped around his waist and arms encircling his shoulders. The copious amounts of sweat both were generating made everything so much more slippery, difficult, dangerous and exciting.

Raven pried her lips off his mouth. "So," she gasped. "Are they doing it?"

"Rrrrng," he growled in ecstasy. "Nah. Richard's… arrrn… too much of a prude."

"Ssssss," her breath hissed in as he bit her neck. "Maybe I should… aaaah… talk to Star."

"Mmmmm. Later."

"Nnnnh… Much later," she agreed and focused again on devouring his lips.


	12. The Day

Come to think of it, he was pretty certain _that_ was the Day.

 _And a beautiful day it was,_ he remembered fondly. Sunny and warm, with a breeze that kept it from becoming hot, it was the perfect day for some outdoor rest  & relaxation. It was also a great day for a barbecue, and they made damn good use of it. Robin was already devouring a burger, his big bro Cyborg had buried his face into four-and-a-half pounds of baby back ribs, Starfire had just discovered the delightful yellow beverage called mustard…

And Raven?

Unsurprisingly, she was sitting quietly by herself in the shade under a tree. Surprisingly, she wasn't reading or meditating. She was – he supposed – just chilling.

He frowned. He couldn't see why she needed it. She was, like, cold enough as it was. Aloof. Distant.

Not really haughty or standoffish, just… detached, and at times even forbidding. _Creepy._

He bit his own tongue. No, not creepy. Never. That was unfair. I mean, she _did_ say he was 'kinda funny'.

Quite a while ago that was, but still. It was very sweet of her. If only he hadn't reacted like an eager St. Bernard puppy and ruined it all.

He sighed and shrugged, then turned his attention to his tofu dogs sizzling on the barbecue. Their aroma was becoming mouthwatering. He scampered up a nearby tree and lowered himself down to take them, hanging from a striped green-and-black tail coiled around an overhanging branch.

"Sweet, my tofu dogs are cooked to perfection!" he muttered with satisfaction, then glanced at the silent empath.

"Yo, Raven!" he called out, offering the tofu dogs with a large grin. "Try one! They're loaded with soybeany goodness!"

Her eyes opened; cool, clear and lovely like amethyst crystals.

"I respect that you don't eat meat," her low, dispassionate voice dismissed him curtly. "Please respect that I don't eat fake meat."

Her eyes closed and she returned to whatever it was she was doing. He shrugged again. More left for him. He devoured the tofu dogs quickly, his gaze unable to wrench itself away from her.

She was actually quite a looker, he realized. It was not so obvious, what with her penchant for keeping her face in the shadow of that hood all the time. And her hair was nice, and looked silky and soft. Maybe she should let it grow longer.

It sure smelled divine.

Nah, scratch that. It was not only the hair. _She_ smelled divine.

And he would have to be blind not to notice those long, shapely legs. Or picture to himself what was under that tight leotard she always wore and that left very little to imagination.

Actually, when he thought about it, it left a _lot_ to imagination, it's just that it was the _wrong kind_ of imagination. He felt his face burn and he finally managed to pry his eyes off her.

He sat cross-legged on the branch, as comfortable as a spider monkey, finishing his tofu dogs. He licked his lips, stretched and yawned in satisfaction. He relaxed and his eyes opened, seeking out Raven again.

She was gone.

His ears perked and the breath hissed in through his nose as he immediately searched for her, without even thinking about it. The soft rustling of the breeze in her cloak and the intoxicating sweetness of her scent guided his eyes and he soon saw her, moving away towards a tall, solitary tree standing about a hundred feet away.

There was a whiff of furtiveness in her scent, confirmed by her head turning back to see if anyone was following. She missed the small green monkey among the green leaves.

Now, if there was something Garfield Mark Logan could not resist, it was a _secret_. Throw in the fact that it was _Raven's_ secret, and not even the threat of being sent to the deepest Pit of Hell to suffer eternal torture and damnation could keep him from finding out what it was. But it did make him proceed cautiously. He knew she would be able to sense him through her empathy if he approached too close, so he chose to stay where he was and keep a prudent distance.

He morphed into a falcon. His field of vision sharpened incredibly and zoomed in. He was able to see every thread in the indigo weave of her cloak, every strand of soft violet hair that poked out of the hood as it shifted gently in the wind, every sparkling facet of the red gem on her forehead as it reflected the sun's rays in a red that was almost black, as dark as blood.

But he couldn't discern what it was that had aroused her interest. He quickly changed into an owl; his eyesight remained almost as good while his hearing improved dramatically. He listened carefully, distinguishing with ease the soft swish of her cloak, the barely audible scuff of her soft boots, the calm rhythm of her heartbeat and her unhurried breathing.

And then he heard it.

To a human it would sound just like soft chirping. To his sensitive ears it was a wail of fear, a scream for help, a chorus of anguish and helplessness in the face of disaster.

A chick had fallen out of its nest and it was trilling pitifully, urging its desperate parents to help it. But all they could do was to flutter anxiously around it, voicing their impotence. Garfield ruffled his feathers and spread his wings, ready to fly over and lift the chick back up into its nest, but he was stopped by a sudden realization. If he tried to help in the form of any large animal – an owl, a cat, a human – he would scare the parents; they would fly away in fear never to return, and the end result would be the same. Any animal small enough not to drive the two desperate birds off in panic was too little and too weak to lift the powerless chick up the tree and over the branch to its nest.

As he racked his brains looking for a solution, Raven crouched some ten feet away from the scene. Her hand lifted and a small, black disk formed under the chick, elevating it slowly up until it reached the nest, then deposited it inside. The disk vanished and the chick's parents landed immediately beside their child, calming it. The chirps turned joyful and slowly quieted, and all was well with the world again.

Beast Boy understood right away. Raven's empathy had picked up the despair, fear and anguish bursting both from the chick and from its parents and she moved to help. Sometimes being a hero wasn't all just about saving the world; it was also about the smaller things.

He had just enough time to calm his own feelings and begin a show of transforming into several different types of monkeys while jumping, climbing, swinging from branch to branch and screeching before Raven returned. She sat down in the same place she was before and cast a scrutinizing gaze his way. He turned into himself and sent her a goofy grin. She rolled her eyes and closed them, ignoring him.

Good. She wasn't aware that he saw everything. Mission accomplished. It would remain his – and her – secret forever.

Cyborg's voice called them for a game of football. Beast Boy agreed enthusiastically.

"I'll referee," Raven commented dryly.

-=oOo=-

She shifted a little in her sleep and his arms tightened around her. She rubbed her face against his shoulder, mumbled sleepily and relaxed, her breathing slowing down again. He smiled, placed a small, gossamer kiss on her forehead and went back to his thoughts.

Yes, that was definitely the Day.

The day he realized that he loved her.


	13. Maybe Next Time

**Author's Note:** A major NSFW warning. And another one for the story being angsty and dark. It was supposed to be a lot longer, but I got depressed halfway through and I couldn't continue.

It's long enough to post on its own, but I can't do it. I'm hiding it in here and hoping that the next story will be fluffy and cheerful and counteract the bitterness in this one.

-=oOo=-

 **Maybe Next Time**

The blonde giggled and leaned on him as they came to the door. They didn't have that much to drink; she was obviously putting on a show, not that he was complaining. He grinned playfully at her in appreciation.

Encouraged, she ran her fingers though his hair and pulled his head down so she could whisper a question into his ear. He lifted an eyebrow, enjoying the suggestiveness in her eyes and her smile.

"Everywhere!" he confirmed, his grin widening roguishly.

"I can't believe that!" she made a fake pout, the saucy game they were playing making her giddy.

"I can show you…" he teased, eliciting a fresh giggle out of her.

They reached the door. She released him so he could fish the keys from his pocket and waited until he unlocked and opened the door.

The door swung inwards. "Here we are –" he began, then an all-too-familiar scent filled his nose and exploded in his brain in a blinding flash of ecstatic agony. His claws slid out, his lips curled back in a snarl and his muscles cramped into painful rigidity while he stood motionless and voiceless. The only movement he was capable of for the next few seconds was the steady flaring of his nostrils as he breathed deeply of the addictive, exhilarating, painful essence that he knew so well.

The blonde sensed something was wrong. She peeked around him and frowned. It was difficult to tell in the gloom, but it looked like there was a person sitting cross-legged at the end of the entry hallway, wrapped in a midnight-blue cloak with a hood over the head. The face was hidden in the shadows; the only discernible details she could see were a sharp, delicate chin and a finely formed mouth, its pale but full lips twitching into a tiny smile.

Suddenly he turned to her. "Go," he growled. The blonde's teeth clacked together in frightened surprise at his tone and she took a step back before anger flared up in her.

"Gar, who is that? Are you –"

His face was stony and his eyes hard and reflective like polished malachite. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled bill, pressing it into her hand.

"Take a cab. Go home."

She placed her fists on her hips and glared at him. "Who's that woman? Don't tell me you're kicking me out because –"

His eyes narrowed and he stepped closer, the talon on his forefinger lifting to dig gently but dangerously into the soft skin beneath her jaw. It was razor-sharp.

"Go. _Now_."

She stumbled back from the quiet, terrifying menace in his voice. Her instincts shouted at her to run and to keep running until she could run no more. She swallowed, retreated a few steps, picked up her composure and her wounded pride and stormed away leaving a dissipating scent of fear and fury behind.

He walked in and closed the door, forgetting immediately everything about her. He turned to the dark visitor, his insides clenching in a mixture of love, want, rage and hurt.

She floated up and her long, shapely legs straightened slowly until they touched the floor. Their creamy paleness glowed in the darkness, making his claws twitch, before the cloak settled and enveloped her, hiding her from view. But the image was burned into his mind already; he felt the muscles in his hips and his ass tighten as a wave of fierce lust crashed into him, erasing everything from his mind but for the wish to pounce on her and ram himself into her again and again and again until she moaned and sobbed and screamed out his name, until he knew she was _his_.

She always had that effect on him. He ground his teeth and pulled himself together with difficulty, then took a deep breath.

"What do you want?"

"That's a dumb question, even from you!" she spoke in a forced monotone that trembled slightly. She stepped closer, letting his powerful, primeval feelings wash over her, drinking them in and diving deep to drown in them.

"Raven…"

She shuddered at the sound of his voice and looked away, biting her lip. "I'm sorry, Gar. I… couldn't resist." She gazed at him again, her eyes a deep violet, reflecting the shame and the guilt and the desire that burned in her. "I tried… I swear I tried…"

A dangerous growl came from his throat as she moved up to him. She paused for a second, the need burning in her fighting with fear. She knew how volatile and unpredictable he was right now, poised ready to erupt in a blast of rage and lust that could have disastrous consequences for both.

In the end, it only fueled her hunger.

Her hands went up and rested gently on his chest, the nails scraping ever so lightly against his shirt. Her head tilted to look up at him and her body came closer, still not touching him anywhere, and yet his skin burned from the unnatural heat that poured out of her.

"Don't… do it," he muttered hoarsely. "Rae, please…"

Every breath he took brought more of that wanton scent crashing in successive waves against his restraint. His mind desperately struggled to stay afloat, like a shipwrecked man trying to swim away from the maelstrom and only succeeding in prolonging the inevitable for a few seconds.

"I have to," she whimpered, her eyes half-closed and watching him with a famished, almost greedy expression. Her lips parted and her tongue flicked quickly over them, leaving behind a wet gleam that seared his mind and burned the last remainders of his self-control into a handful of smoldering cinders.

A rumble that grew quickly into an inhuman roar tore itself from deep in his chest. He seized her throat and slammed her against the wall with one hand while the other tore her clothing away. He yanked his belt off and ripped his pants open while still holding her pinned helplessly, then forced her legs apart with his knee and moved between them. He released the strangling hold he had on her and his hands descended to grab her ass and lift her up, his claws digging deep into the pliant flesh. She fastened her arms around his neck, locked her ankles around his waist and mashed her lips on his, whimpering as she felt him and tasted him and bit him and drank him, her soul parched for his love and her body starving for his touch.

He jerked his head away furiously and sank his teeth into the smooth skin of her shoulder while he plunged roughly into her. She cried with the pain of his harsh thrusting and moaned with the exultant frenzy it woke up in her. Her hips heaved greedily back against his pounding, her nails sinking deep into the flesh at the back of his neck and tracing crimson furrows down to his shoulders, her head falling back, releasing an unbroken, euphoric whine as her craving was finally satisfied and her need was at last fulfilled.

Her climax approached with astounding swiftness. Her moans became louder, cut short only by her quick, gasping intakes of breath. Her fingers convulsed and her nails dug even deeper; his teeth released her shoulder and bit into her neck savagely in response, the fangs piercing her skin and drawing blood. The sharp pain zapped her brain and rebounded to crackle down her spine until it burst in her loins, and she shrieked his name while the orgasm wracked her body.

The feeling of her walls clenching around him, the taste of her blood in his mouth and the sound of his name being wrenched out of her throat in a shuddering wail sent him over the edge. He groaned and drove in deeper, mashing her against the wall, his hips jerking in spasmic movements as he buried himself to the hilt. A voracious howl squeezed itself through his tightly-clamped jaws, his eyes squeezed shut and all muscled convulsing.

The intensity of his own climax crashed into her, all his emotions and sensations surging over her already dazzled mind in an unstoppable tsunami that tore her away from the descending spiral she was falling into and catapulted her up, making her come yet again. Her eyes were already rolled up and her orgasmic cry had turned into a long, drawn-out, exhausted mewl, but the pleasure was still flooding and drowning her in an ocean of rapture, her breath now coming out in short, choked gasps, unable even to whimper or moan any more, just cling on to him for dear life and sanity.

He felt his knees buckle. They slumped to the floor, with him on top of her. They were still joined; Garfield would remain hard until utterly exhausted. It was a perk of the forced mutation he went through, and it combined perfectly with Raven's demonic heritage. There was nobody else that could sate the lust he felt for her, and there was nobody else that could fulfill the craving she felt for him. They were literally made for each other. And they both knew it.

As soon as his gasps relaxed into deep breaths he began moving again. A hoarse purr of sheer bliss rewarded him and he growled in response, nipping every part of her skin he could reach, his bites now hard but not vicious any more. Her fingers tugged at his hair and her nails scraped over his shoulders and back and hips. He hissed sharply as she dragged them over the deep, bloody grooves she tore up just a couple of minutes ago. He ground his hips into her vindictively and rumbled at the sight of her eyes losing focus and closing in ecstasy while her mouth opened in a silent, breathless shout.

This time it took a lot longer, but soon enough he sped up, his feet and knees slipping on the rug as he tried to thrust deeper inside, her hips bucking demandingly against him, both of them groaning and whining and moaning and growling in a quick crescendo that turned finally into a joint cry of unbridled delirium.

He rolled off her, completely dazed. But awareness returned eventually and he looked up, staring at the ceiling, chewing the inside of his mouth. The anger that smoldered in him flared up again; the rage at her behavior and the fury at himself for being so weak. He closed his eyes and scowled; deep inside he knew it was useless to berate himself. He simply could not resist her. He was enthralled, and would remain so forever.

"Gar…" he heard her soft call and opened his eyes. Her head was floating above him, soft strands of silky hair tickling his face, her beautiful mouth smiling and her deep, amethyst eyes shining with love.

"Shower first," she whispered. "Then to bed. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"No!" he tried to fight back. "Not again. Not any more! I won't be your plaything, Raven!"

"You never were," she hummed into his ear, nipping it gently. "You know how much I love you."

"Then why do you do this to me?" he tried to shout at her, but it came out as a choked sob. "Why won't you ever stay?"

"You know why," she breathed, nibbling and licking and kissing her way down over his neck to his throat. "Because I can't."

He shuddered and groaned, and his hips rocked involuntarily. She knew his body well, knew exactly what to do, where to do it and how.

"Rae, please…" he whimpered pleadingly. "I don't want this any more. I can't…"

"Hush!" she lifted her head and silenced him with a finger on his lips, then kissed him lightly. "Don't speak. Don't think. Enjoy it."

"Just… just promise me you will be there when I wake up." His voice was broken and his will was crumbling. "Promise me you won't leave me again."

She paused in her caressing to press her face into his chest and hide her eyes. "Maybe next time," she murmured, just like she did every time before.

He sighed deeply and surrendered, as he always did. The anger in his mind and the pain in his heart were smothered yet again by the impossible love that would not let him break free.

He rose on one knee, then bent and scooped her up. She gasped in surprise, then clasped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. As he did so many times before, he pushed away and locked up his despair and his anguish deep in a remote corner of his soul and focused on the present. A grin spread over his face and he carried her to the shower.


	14. On the Roof

**Author's Note:** I owed you some fluff after the last story.

-=oOo=-

 **On the Roof**

He followed her scent as it guided him to the roof of the Tower. She was sitting on the ledge, wearing only her panties and one of his T-shirts against the cool ocean breeze. She probably just grabbed whatever was at hand before she left the room to climb up here. He couldn't avoid smiling; it was his fault. After all, he was the one that talked her into sleeping in her birthday suit, not that she needed much convincing.

He also made sure to put on his boxers before he went searching for her. Even if it was the middle of the night, there was no sense in risking running into Starfire in the hallway. Not that Star would even notice anything was wrong; he did it more for his own peace of mind.

At least the night was warm. He walked over silently but quickly, sitting down beside her and studying her with a twinge of concern. She remained silent, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

Even after years of being together, his girlfriend was still in some ways a mystery to him. But he did know that right now she would not welcome a conversation. He forced himself to sit quietly and wait patiently, his feet dangling over the ledge and his hands clasped between his knees. His eyes roamed over the multicolored sparkle of the city across the bay, reflected in a myriad broken rainbows off the ruffled surface of the water.

He lost himself in the fascinating sight, his gaze soon climbing up the black velvet vault studded with glitterdust. The fat, silvery crescent blade of the moon drizzled its scant, pale light on them, leeching the night of its colors and turning the world into a carving in mother-of-pearl.

He felt her fingers on his thigh; a cool, feathery caress both apologetic and shyly needful. He covered her hand with his own and allowed her to weave her fingers through his. He remained silent, waiting for her to speak first.

A tiny smile crossed her face, both happy and pained. "It's a lovely night," she murmured.

He nodded. "Beautiful."

They sat silent for a few minutes more. She finally turned her head and looked at him. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I was cold," he grinned. "My comforter was gone." She rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide a smile.

"I'm used to you by my side," he told her affectionately. "It just doesn't feel right when you're not there."

She looked away. "I know," she apologized. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he shrugged. "I could live with it. But I smelled unease on your pillow. Something's bothering you."

Her eyebrow arched. "I see I can't hide anything from you. It hardly seems fair."

He grinned at her again. "Is that Miss Empath that's talking about unfair advantages?"

She chuckled. "I suppose you're right. I'm just…" her voice trailed off.

He gave her a minute to see if she would speak. "Wanna tell me about it?"

"No," she stated simply. "But I have to."

"You don't 'have to' anything, Rae. If you –"

"Gar," her fingers squeezed gently his own. "If there's one thing you've earned through all these years of love and tenderness, it's for me to be honest with you."

His heartbeat picked up and his throat felt dry. He swallowed. She sensed his apprehension and smiled.

"I should be angry at you for even thinking what you're thinking, Gar!" she chided him gently. "I'm not seeing anyone else. I'm not interested in anyone else. I don't _need_ anyone else."

"Then what –" he began and immediately clamped his mouth shut. She looked at the horizon again. A silent minute trickled by.

"I'm afraid," she whispered and a tremor went through her at the confession.

"Of what?" it burst out of him as he felt his hackles rise in an instinctive response. "Is it your father?"

"No," she sighed. "He's… not the problem." Her eyes closed and her grip on his hand tightened. "It's me. It's _us._ "

His other hand rose to caress her cheek. "Rae…" he whispered hoarsely. "I'd rather die than hurt you. You know that."

She leaned into his touch, her eyes still closed. "I do. That's the problem."

He let out a frustrated breath. "I don't get it…"

Her eyes opened and she looked at him. "All my life…" she began, then choked. Her jaw clenched and she inhaled deeply. "Since I was born, everyone shunned me. Everyone knew I was going to be the bringer of Armageddon, the instrument of destruction, the spark that ignites the all-consuming fire."

"But you weren't –"

"Hush. I know. Let me finish." She gripped his hand desperately, her eyes dewing. "I came here to Earth and I found friends, I found… a family." Her voice got hoarse. "I defeated and banished my father. I was free of his taint, free of the guilt, free to live my own life."

She swallowed and looked down. "I never expected I'd be able to do it. I never thought I'd live through it. And yet…" she looked at him again. Clear, hot drops slid down her cheeks. "And yet I did, and I dared to hope, to wish for happiness, to look for… love."

Her shoulders shook. Without thinking, he bent and scooped her onto his lap and curled his arms around her.

She shivered and pressed her face into him. "I'm a demon, Gar! I don't deserve it!" her voice shook. "I'm not worthy of love and kindness. I'm… I'm afraid that something will happen and take it all away from me, because I'm… I'm not… I shouldn't –" her voice broke finally and she sobbed, clutching desperately at him.

He wanted to shout angrily to snap her out of it. He wanted to speak gentle, comforting words to soothe her pain. He wanted to caress her anguish and kiss her fear away. But somehow he knew that none of those were the right thing to do.

He waited until her sobs calmed down, holding her tight and letting her slowly recover.

"I've been thinking about something for a while now," he whispered softly as he nuzzled her. "I was hoping to prepare for it a bit better, but I guess now is as good a time as any. Can I ask you a question?"

She just nodded, her face still buried in his chest, seeking comfort and reassurance.

"Will you marry me?"

Her head slowly lifted up, a look of absolute bewilderment in her deep, violet eyes. Her mouth opened, then closed. She gasped and sniffled and gulped and finally managed to croak out a disbelieving jumble of barely connected words.

"Gar… field… I… I'm… I'm not…"

"You are," he assured her gently.

"B-But what if –"

He shook his head. "You won't."

"I-I don't know if I can –"

He shrugged. "Then we'll adopt."

She stared at him for a long while and then lowered her head on his shoulder, her gaze lost in the distance.

He shifted, a bit uncomfortable. "Um… Rae? What do you, uh, think?"

She tried to speak, choked, swallowed and tried again.

"I… think it would be very nice," she said in a tiny voice.

"Good." He bent his head and landed a small, tender kiss on her lips. He slid an arm under her knees and rose up to carry her, dazed and unresisting, back to their room.


	15. The Dream

**Author's Note:** I tried to write a monster story for Halloween, but I'm unhappy as to how it's turning out. So I scrapped it and instead I wrote some fluff. I hope you don't mind.

-=oOo=-

 **The Dream**

She was laughing.

She was laughing as she never had before. As she never could, as she never _dared_.

She didn't care. Nothing could touch her, nothing could harm her, nothing could mar her happiness. Not her father's evil, not the waywardness of her power, not the shyness and insecurity in her mind. Nothing could spoil this sensation of freedom and ecstasy and love that was flooding her soul and drowning her mind and swelling in her heart.

Her arms went around the thick, green neck before her. "Faster, Gar!" she shouted in delight. His ears flicked and he snorted and nickered in response and his gallop picked up speed. Her laughter flew with them like pearls shaken in a wine glass.

They thundered over the meadow, his mane whipping her face and her short hair fluttering in the wind. The rhythmic thud of his hooves, the loud hammering of his heart and the heavy roll of his breath vibrated between her thighs and in her loins and climbed up her spine to burn her heart and dazzle her mind.

She had no saddle, no bridle, no stirrups. She didn't need them. He carried her because he wanted to, and he'd make sure she was safe. "Faster!" she whooped, and he obliged. The clear peal of her laughter drove him on as strings of foam escaped his mouth to spatter on his flanks and her ankles. The fragrant morning air filled her lungs with its delightful smell even as it mingled with his essence, an intoxicating combination of horse-scent and his own musk.

A wheeze entered his heavy breathing and she sensed it. She bent forward again and pointed to a clump of trees nearby. "There, Gar! There we can rest a bit!"

He shook his head with a snort and sped over, clods of grassy loam flying from under his hooves as they pounded the soft ground. Soon they approached and he slowed down to a quick canter. She ran a caressing hand over the coarse hair on the neck, feeling the powerful muscles tense and throb under the skin.

He trotted into the shade under the trees and transformed himself back into human form. He fell to the ground breathing heavily and turned over to look at her. She sank to her knees, still straddling him. Her hair was messy, her cheeks rosy and her eyes glowing.

They both took a few seconds to quieten their gasping, panting breaths, but the whirlwind of feelings that roared through them and the hard thudding of their hearts would not go away or slow down. Her hands sank into the tall grass beside his shoulders and her head dipped lower, her lips hovering just over his own. His sweet breath burned her face and the pink glow on her cheeks deepened.

"What are you thinking?" she asked with a playful smile.

He remained silent, but his eyes shone. His tongue darted around his lips, wetting them. Her smile widened.

"Tell me," she demanded. "Tell me what you're thinking."

He swallowed. "God, you're beautiful…"

"I am?" she teased.

He nodded. "The most beautiful girl in the world."

She threw her head aside to shake off a stray lock that fell in her eyes. "I know that!" she smirked, then leaned closer again. "Tell me the other thing."

He gave her a lopsided grin. "What other thing?"

"You know," she brushed the tip of her nose against his. "The thing you're really thinking."

His face got serious and his hands went up to cup her face gently and tenderly. "I love you."

She tried to laugh it away, but she choked and swallowed. "You do?" her voice trembled. "I don't believe you."

"I love you," he insisted hoarsely.

Her face burned under his warm hands. His eyes were dark and deep and earnest. Her head felt heavy, so heavy that it crept down another fraction.

"I love you, too," she breathed. She sensed a shiver go through him as their lips touched and slid softly over each other. She closed her eyes and deepened the kiss –

Loud knocking tore her away from the dream.

"Yo, Raven!" his voice rang from behind the door. "Did I hear you _laughing?_ "

She needed a few seconds to get her bearings and fight the feeling of longing and loss that swept over her. His insistent knocking made her lift her head and scowl at the door.

"C'mon, Rae! What was making you laugh?"

She rose and approached the door. He knocked yet again.

"Hey, I wanna hear that joke! It must be great if it made you lau – _gulp!_ " he swallowed as the door was swept aside with a force that stripped the gears off the opening mechanism and made it spark and smoke.

Garfield's eyes widened when he saw Raven's expression. Her eyes were not glowing red, and there were only two of them, but still the grin dropped off his face and he paled. He took a stumbling step back.

Black strands of magic enveloped him and dragged him into her room. The door slammed shut, completing the destruction of the opening mechanism and sealing them inside. He was carried over to her bed and thrown unceremoniously on it as she climbed in and sat astride him.

Her face loomed over his. "You woke me up," she whispered. "And I was having such a nice dream."

He shivered. She noticed it and smiled. "I was doing something very pleasant in my dream, Garfield!" she hummed. "Since you interrupted me, it's only fair you help me finish it."

His eyes were still confused and apprehensive, but a glimmer of a much deeper, stronger and fiercer sentiment began glowing in their depths. Her smile turned slightly crooked. Not exactly the same as in her dream, but it would do.

Her head lowered and their lips touched. It was just as electrifying and euphoric as the dream suggested. Still, there was a big difference. Nothing and nobody would wake her up from _this_.

She enjoyed that thought for a moment or two, then pressed down harder and deepened the kiss before surrendering completely to it and forgetting about everything else.


	16. I Love You

**Author's Note:** This is a headcanon of mine.

-=oOo=-

"I love you," Garfield hummed into her hair as she snuggled against him.

"Mmmm," Raven purred in acknowledgement and shifted a little to feel him better.

"I love you so much," he continued to whisper quietly, his lips caressing her forehead as they moved. She embraced him tighter and pressed her face into his chest.

He ran his fingers through her hair, marveling yet again at its silky softness. He took a deep breath, inhaling her essence, delighting in the tingles it spread all over his body.

"Did I mention I love you?" he chuckled and landed a small kiss on the tip of her widow's peak, just above the gem. It made her lift her head and look at him.

"I know, Gar," she said softly and gave him a peck on the lips. "You don't have to say it."

"I want to," he smiled at her affectionately. "I feel I'll just burst if I don't tell you, again and again. Besides…"

Her eyebrow arched. "Besides what?"

"I want _you_ –" he lifted his hand and pressed a gentle finger to the tip of her nose, "– to tell me you love me, too."

One corner of her mouth moved just a tiny bit up. She leaned closer and her lips went over his in a soft, warm, sweet kiss that lasted for a while. She finally ran a teasing tongue over his lower lip before breaking off and pulling back.

"There," she gasped and swallowed, trying to quieten her suddenly quickened breath. "Happy?"

"Hmmm," he grunted playfully and pulled her head in for another deep kiss. This time it lasted a lot longer, and their hands began searching for all those well-known and well-loved places on each other.

"Gar…" she finally managed to pull away, panting. "We just made love, you insatiable –"

He silenced her with a quick smooch. "And your point is…?"

"Idiot!" she grumbled and rolled on top of him, sinking her face in the crook of his neck and nibbling and kissing her way to his throat. "You asked for it!" she mumbled in a muffled voice.

"Hssss!" he inhaled sharply when she hit a particularly sensitive spot. He couldn't see her smirk, but he knew it was there. "Rrrrrrae…" he growled deeply as she attacked the place with zeal, making his hips twitch.

Her teeth gave him a final nip and wandered off, seeking the next vulnerable patch of skin. She knew them all. "God, how I love you," he sighed.

Her head lifted. "Still with that? I already told you –"

"You haven't _told_ me anything, Rae," his lips curled up in a smile. "You just kissed me."

She lowered her head on his shoulder. "It's the same thing."

His hand played with a scented strand of her hair. "No, it's not."

Her head went up again. Her eyes were deep and dark as she studied him. "You know it, Gar. You can smell it, and probably also hear it."

"It's not the same," he persisted through a lopsided grin.

"Of course it is," she dismissed him and bent down to begin her assault on his throat again, but he cupped his hands around her head and brought it gently up.

"Rae…"

She shook herself free from his hands. "Why is that so important to you?"

"Because I love you."

Raven swallowed and looked away. "Gar, I…"

"Just say it."

She frowned and looked back at him. "Of all the traits that the Animal Kingdom had to offer, you went and picked stubbornness as your defining characteristic?"

"Is that the pot calling the kettle black?" his fang gleamed as his smile expanded into a grin.

She rolled her eyes. "Just give it up, Gar!" she grumbled and tried to kiss him, but he stopped her with a finger to her lips.

"I'm not gonna give up, Rae." His eyes shone in the gloom. "I've never given up on you before, and I'm not going to do it now."

She watched him for a few instants, then her eyes moistened. "I know," she whispered hoarsely.

Her head went down and she brushed her lips over his, then slid them slowly over his cheek and to his ear. "I love you."

Her hands gripped him fiercely. He could feel small tremors running through her. He kissed her shoulder, her neck, her ear.

"Good," he breathed. "Now tell me why."


	17. The Case of the Missing Changeling

**The Case of the Missing Changeling**

Cyborg and Robin paused in front of Raven's door.

"Y'all sure we should?" the half-robot asked while he scratched the back of his head. It was a clear sign of nervousness; as advanced and sophisticated the sensors on the surface of his titanium alloy armor were, they were never designed to create a sensation of itching.

"How bad can it be?" the leader of the Titans shrugged. "Go ahead, knock."

"Uh… why don't you do it?" Cyborg mumbled with obvious apprehension. "I could, um, damage the door."

Robin's eyebrow went up. "Don't tell me you're afraid!"

"Afraid?" Cyborg's mouth twisted in a sickly smile. "Of Rae? Why should I be?"

"Exactly!" Robin chuckled. "Now knock!"

Cyborg frowned and folded his arms across his chest. "Well, then, Oh Fearless Leader, if it's such a small, insignificant thing, why don't _you_ knock?"

"Geez, you're such a coward!" Robin snorted, then lifted his hand, ready to knock on the door. "As if Raven would be…" he swallowed a sudden lump in his throat, "… _upset_."

His hand retreated and his finger ran under his collar, relieving the feeling of smothering heat. "Um, maybe we shouldn't be interrupting her meditation."

He heard his teammate's derisive snort and looked up to see a smirk twisting the human part of Cyborg's face. Robin scowled, grit his teeth, lifted a clenched fist and knocked. After all, Raven was their friend. You could say she was their _sister_. An older sister, to be sure, and one with a very short and very acerbic temper, a razor-sharp tongue and the power to banish them both to an unnamable corner of Hell. But of course, she would _never_ –

The door hissed open. Cyborg quickly stepped behind Robin and tried to make himself as small as possible.

"What is it?" Raven inquired in her usual dispassionate tone, but for some reason both boys shivered as if exposed to a sudden blast of Arctic wind. She was wrapped from head to toe in her cloak and the hood was pulled up over her head. Her eyes glowed a dangerous crimson from within its dark depths. There was a hint of a rosy blush on the visible part of her features, but whether it was a reflection of the hellfire burning in her eyes or just an angry flush, they couldn't be certain.

Robin swallowed and found his voice. "We're… um… looking for… uh… Beast Boy."

The glow in Raven's eyes intensified. Two angry red slits appeared above her brows.

"The last time I looked, the name stenciled on this door spelled 'Raven'."

"Uh… we, um, know that, but we were, uh, looking for him and his, um, communicator tracker is indicating he's, uh, here…"

The fire in Raven's four eyes blazed. "Are you implying that I'm keeping _Beast Boy_ in my room?" Part of Robin's mind wondered how was it that Raven managed to inject so much menace into a monotonous, neutral tone of voice.

"No, not at all, little sis!" Cyborg replied hurriedly, seeing that Robin was too busy swallowing to be able to speak. "It's just that the tracker, uh, points to… your room," he choked off the last words and tried to cringe behind Robin.

The slits above Raven's eyes faded away and the sanguine fire in them burned low to an ash-covered garnet. "His communicator may be malfunctioning. Or your tracker."

"That could be it," the Boy Wonder agreed with relieved haste, then frowned. "He may be morphed into an animal. We don't really know what happens with his uniform and the other stuff he's carrying when he changes."

"Yes, that must be it!" the half-robot agreed, nodding his head vigorously like a bobblehead. "Maybe it gets transported to a pocket dimension, and then the precise location would be affected by quantum uncertainty –"

"I suppose that is all, then," Raven interrupted him coldly. "I need to go back to what I was doing, _if_ you two don't mind." The emphasis on the 'if' was followed by a short but noticeable red flare in her eyes.

"No, no, not at all, we're, uh, sorry for interrupting you!"

Raven glided back and the door began closing. Suddenly Robin's hand shot forward and stopped it. "Hang on, Rae. Could it be possible…?"

Raven's eyes narrowed. "No," she dismissed him instantly.

"Are you sure? I mean, he could be morphed into a fly, or a mouse…"

The red blaze returned to Raven's eyes. Robin could see the muscles in her jaw bunch up as she controlled herself. _That was the wrong thing to imply,_ he scolded himself uselessly.

"I can think of three reasons why that is extremely improbable," the sorceress replied with a heavy dose of irritated vexation. "First, Garfield may be childish, annoying, insufferable and just plain dumb at times, but he's not a pervert or a creep. Second, I'm an empath. He couldn't hide his presence from me. And third, it doesn't make sense. If he wanted to… _see_ anything, he'd be stalking my bathroom's shower stall, not my room."

Robin mulled over those words for a few moments, then nodded. "You're right. We'll look for him elsewhere."

"He said he was going to the arcade," Raven suggested, much calmer now. "He may be in bird form still, and that may be affecting the tracker."

"Well, it wasn't really anything important. Sorry to disturb you, Rae!" The two boys nodded their goodbyes and walked away with somewhat hurried steps. Raven watched them leave, retreated back into her room and closed and locked the door.

A green mouse ran from under her cloak and transformed into a naked, grinning Garfield.

"Childish, annoying, insufferable and just plain dumb? I'm hurt, my love."

Raven unclasped and removed her cloak. She wore nothing under it. "You are," she commented dryly. "Next time remember to turn that damn thing off."

"My bad!" he laughed as he picked up the communicator and turned its tracker function off. "Now, where were we?"

"In bed," Raven said with a playful smile. "I suggest we get back to it."

"Hmmmm," Garfield purred as he took her into his arms. "You mentioned something about a shower…"

"Garfield!" she grumbled warningly. "Don't get any ideas!"

"Too late!" he smirked and kissed her deeply, pushing her gently towards the bathroom door.


	18. School of Hard Knocks

**Author's Note:** This one is a bit longer than usual, but I still wanted to keep it here. I hope you'll like it.

-=oOo=-

 **School of Hard Knocks**

Garfield never understood what came over him that day. Even when Raven asked him about it later he could only shrug his shoulders in puzzled ignorance and rub the back of his head.

That morning he woke feeling quite peppy. He was definitely not a morning person, so that fact in itself may have been a warning sign. Unfortunately, he did have a history of not paying attention to warnings.

He headed down the hallway to the Ops room with a relaxed swagger, savoring the soon-to-come banter-and-breakfast with his best half-metallic buddy. His mind was focused on planning the strategy for the verbal attacks and ripostes, hungering for the bicker almost as much as he hungered for the non-dairy waffles. Then he sensed the fresh trail of her scent and something snapped in his mind with an almost audible _pop_.

He certainly wasn't indifferent to her. He'd been crushing badly on the dark empath for months, maybe even years, but all that time he kept those feelings locked and chained and smothered inside, where they burned his heart like a swallowed sigh.

He saw her as soon as he turned the corner, and the sight was painfully familiar. Her nose was buried in a book while she walked slowly but purposefully towards the same place he was heading for. A huge grin split his face in half.

It was a scientifically proven, observationally confirmed and experimentally verified fact that Gar never thought much about his actions until _after_ he performed them, usually to his own detriment. Still, this time he managed to surprise even himself. He morphed into a sparrow and fluttered around the oblivious sorceress, transforming back into himself to stand in her way. As engrossed in her reading as she was, she still kept some awareness of her surroundings and made herself stop before she bumped into him. Her book went down and her eyes went up, the brows already knitting together as she recognized who was interrupting her.

Her face was still forming a frown at the goofy grin he was sporting when he leaned closer and _kissed her_.

The book fell from nerveless fingers and thumped on the floor. Light fixtures throughout the corridor exploded in a staccato of bangs. Part of the armored paneling peeled off the wall, curling into a roll as if it was wallpaper and not inch-thick composite steel.

He pulled back and gazed into her shocked eyes. His grin widened and his arms rose to embrace her as he bent forward again to give her a _real_ kiss. A black portal yawned on the floor and she sank into it, leaving him hugging air.

The grin never left his face. "Awww, she's playing hard to get?" he chuckled softly to himself. "I like that!"

-=oOo=-

Raven's portal deposited her in the middle of the Ops room. It was an unusual choice, to be sure, but then again she was not in her finest, most rational state at the moment. Right now there was only one non-conflicting thought in the chaos of her mind, and she seized it like a drowning man clutches a piece of driftwood.

Tea.

Thank Azar for cloaks and hoods. The former covered her trembling knees and the latter hid the fierce blush on her face. She had to float over to the counter, because her legs were declaring in no uncertain terms that they were refusing to support her body for the time being.

She ignored the good-morning greetings from her friends and busied herself filling the electric kettle with water and turning it on. She was focusing so hard on calming her panicked thoughts and forcing her hands to stop shaking that she didn't hear the side door open and Garfield walk in, making a beeline for her.

She closed her eyes and tried to breathe deeply and slowly, using the exercise to calm down and restore her inner balance. But she wasn't able to take more than a couple of breaths before gentle hands seized her shoulders and turned her around.

Her eyes widened and she tried to shove him back, but instead of pushing him away her hands pressed on his chest and closed into fists, crumpling the uniform. His head bent closer and his lips found hers again.

If the previous kiss was a shocking surprise, this one was terrifying bliss. Raven's eyes rolled up and closed and she felt herself melting in his arms, her whole world concentrating and focusing on the feeling of his soft, warm lips and his tongue probing gently, begging to be let in, and his fang scraping ever so lightly against her lower lip –

An explosion of black power shattered the huge panoramic window, annihilated all the light fixtures and crushed the large TV screen into an object of _avant-garde_ art. It also launched Beast Boy away, making him spin head over heels before it slammed him upside-down against the far wall.

"Garfield!" she shouted in consternation. His legs peeled off the wall slowly, followed by the rest of his body, until he plopped face-down on the floor. She took a step towards him, anxious to help, but it didn't appear to be necessary. He lifted and shook his head to clear it, then turned and propped himself on an elbow while looking at her. The grin that was still strung all the way from one pointy ear to the other was now almost predatory. Raven's face lost what little color it had and she whirled around to run away through the side door.

Beast Boy heaved himself up, bent his neck to a sickening chorus of small cracks and rotated his left arm until the shoulder joint snapped back into its socket.

"My kinda woman!" he groaned happily to himself through a painful but satisfied wince, then limped off after her, leaving their friends slack-jawed and paralyzed by what they had just witnessed.

-=oOo=-

Raven locked herself in her room and sat in lotus position on the floor, trying to gasp out her mantra and drown herself in the soothing, comforting calmness of her meditative trance. Her breathing quieted and her heart stopped racing as the familiar peace seeped back into her. She welcomed it with relief, attempting to sink into it completely, needing it almost as much as she needed him to kiss her again –

She shook her head and growled to herself, herding her thoughts and feelings back to where they were supposed to be. This was _not_ good, and it should _not_ be allowed to happen again. What in the Nine Hells got into Garfield to behave like that? He of all people should know; it's not like she was _normal,_ she couldn't just _indulge_. She had to put an immediate stop to it.

She felt herself growing calmer as she made the decision. Yes, she would finish her meditation and then seek him out. She would face him, and speak to him seriously, without getting angry or shouting or hurting his feelings. Gar was impulsive, but he would understand. He would be a little unhappy, but she would explain to him that it wasn't his fault; he was a sweet and dear _friend,_ someone that she treasured as a teammate and crime-fighting companion, not as a… not like _that_.

It's not like she _loved_ him; loved those preposterous ears and that goofy grin and those playful eyes and that enticing fang and those strong, gentle hands whose touch she could still feel on her shoulders, just before they slid down to clasp her closely. Her eyes still firmly shut, she could easily recall his kiss and imagine the feeling of his lips burning her skin wherever they touched, leaving a trail of shivering need behind them as they glided over ear and neck and cheek to end up on her mouth, as her own lips parted shyly to allow him to play inside. The passion he kindled in her roared heavenwards in a blinding blaze that burned away her denial and her self-deception and laid her own soul bare for her to see what she kept so carefully hidden even from herself. Azar help her, she _did_ love him, love him deeply and dearly and unconditionally. Her mind lost itself in the fulfilment of the newly discovered feelings and she wrapped her arm around him and pulled him closer and her hand buried its fingers in his hair and she kissed him back hungrily, breathing deeply and filling her lungs with his bewitching essence, and she –

– opened her eyes and saw it was all _real_.

She shrieked. A bolt of black lightning burst out and hurled him back, crashing through the door, wrenching it out of its mountings and carrying it flying before him as both he and the door slammed against the far wall of the hallway with a deafening clang.

" _Garfield!_ " she screamed again, this time in horror. She leapt up and ran over, sinking to her knees beside him and cradling his head. Blood trickled from his nose and ears and his breathing was pained and irregular. She yanked out the communicator from a pocket in her cloak and flipped it open with a trembling hand.

"Cyborg!" she forced her voice to be clear, if not calm. "Medical emergency. My room."

She tossed the now-useless device aside and her hands began glowing with healing magic as she bent to save the life of the boy she loved, the boy she almost killed.

-=oOo=-

Cyborg skidded to a stop, bewildered by the incongruous scene. His 'little sis' was kneeling beside the sprawled form of his best friend, cradling his head in her lap, holding his face in her hands and covering it with kisses while she growled an extensive selection of derogatory terms obviously aimed at the green changeling. Some of the words he recognized; words like 'idiot', 'imbecile' and 'cretin', but he was ashamed to admit that most of the others he had to look up in his built-in dictionary. Trust Raven to have an awesome vocabulary.

He picked up Garfield gently and carried him to the infirmary. Raven trailed anxiously behind, her constant drone of invective not showing any indication of stopping soon, but rather expanding into other languages. The big half-robot recognized some words as German, assumed some to be Romanian, detected a decidedly Tamaranean lilt to several others and shuddered at the guttural ones that he supposed were demonic. A few days later, and on a whim, Cyborg analyzed the audio recording. Raven never once repeated herself.

They arrived at the infirmary and Cyborg placed Garfield's unconscious body in the scanner. A few minutes later he pulled him out and deposited him carefully on an infirmary bed, fixing electrodes for several monitors onto the green skin.

"He'll be fine, Rae," he tried to comfort the distraught half-demon. "You treated the worst, and his own healing factor should take quick care of whatever's left."

Raven let out a long, relieved breath. "I'll stay here and watch," she said tonelessly. The unsaid but implied "Get out and leave us alone" was as sharp and clear as crystal. Cyborg chuckled, careful to do it soundlessly, then turned to leave. Raven didn't even glance after him, her gaze was glued to Beast Boy's prone body.

"I'll explain later," Cyborg waved his arms, shooing away Robin and Starfire who were clustered at the entrance to the infirmary. "Let's leave the lovebirds to their privacy," he smirked.

There was no indication from Raven if she heard him, but Cyborg was pretty certain she had. He chuckled quietly to himself again, left and closed the door.

-=oOo=-

Garfield slowly regained consciousness, releasing a long groan of pain. He felt like he'd been hit by a bus, and he should know, because he _had_ been hit by a bus before, one thrown by Mammoth. But he was morphed into a dinosaur then, and his bones were much thicker and stronger and –

His eyes opened and the sensation of _déjà vu_ intensified. Just like that time, he was greeted by the anxious gaze of two breathtakingly beautiful amethyst eyes. The sight itself made all the pain and discomfort worthwhile.

Raven gave him a small smile when she saw he was coming to. His heart leapt and soared, and a grin spread again over his face. She pursed her lips and her hand caressed his cheek.

"Gar," she spoke in a croon, failing in her attempt to be angry at him. "What kind of _lunacy_ came over you to act like you did? You know how unpredictable my power can be."

He groaned, but his eyes sparkled. "I wanted… to kiss you."

"I realize that," she huffed. "What I want to know is why didn't you try using a more conventional method, like asking me out on a date first?"

"I was… afraid… you'd say no."

Raven frowned. "And that 'no' would've hurt more than broken ribs, cracked skull, shattered pelvis and a dislocated shoulder?"

He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. "A lot more," he whispered.

Raven sighed. "You are an idiot, Garfield Mark Logan." She bent and kissed him tenderly. "Don't ever change."


	19. Better Than Meditation

**Author's Note:** Some _major_ NSFW coming ahead. Yeah, I did post smut before, but this is the first time I write an unapologetic PWP. You have been warned.

-=oOo=-

 **Better Than Meditation**

Raven toned the lights down to a glimmer and sank slowly until she was up to her neck in the almost scalding but delightfully swirling water. The hot jets lapped against her skin, lightly massaging her tense muscles while the profusion of churning bubbles boiled around her, touching her with a myriad tiny, light, feathery fingers.

The huge hydro-massage hot tub was a new addition to the Tower, and it was an immediate success. So much so that it had to be booked a couple of days in advance by any Titan wishing to enjoy its relaxing, stress-relieving capabilities. Raven had reserved three hours of its time; she hoped it would be enough.

"Mmmmm!" she purred and shifted, her legs parting and allowing the sparkly burble to brush around the insides of her thighs. She gasped slightly when she felt a new sensation creeping up over her knees, complementing deliciously the tickling bubbles of air and the fondling streams of water.

Her hips rocked slightly, impatient. A small frown crossed her features; her body was telling her that she was wound up quite a bit and that she needed this release. But the frown soon faded. She had time, and she was going to make the best use of it.

Her arms emerged from the water and her hands wrapped themselves around two of the several chromed handholds so conveniently provided around the hot tub. For an instant she wondered if Cyborg made them only to aid in getting in and out of the hot tub, or if he had other, naughtier ideas on his mind.

The touches on her thighs alternated from one leg to the other, never leaving any part without attention for too long. They inched slowly up, first conquering new territory with almost shy, exploratory hesitancy, only to get stronger and harder and nippier as they marked their presence with undeniable fervor, then shifting up again gently, tenderly and very, very slowly.

Again her hips heaved, this time almost greedily. It made the feeling disappear and tore out a frustrated whimper from her throat. She forced herself to relax and parted her legs further, inviting the sensation back.

It soon returned, beginning lower than it had left. It was both a scolding and a warning for next time. She grumbled, gripped the handholds tighter and eased back to enjoy it.

Her breathing had by now quickened quite a bit. She could feel the touches getting closer to her core and she so wanted to make them sink into her and take away this terrible need that she felt building up and clawing at her insides. Rationally she knew she was going to be rewarded, but it was becoming difficult to control the body that demanded the release, _now._

"Oh, Azar!" she gasped as she felt the touches circle languidly around her center, carefully avoiding the most sensitive parts. Her muscles tensed and trembled; if she was not immersed up to her neck in steaming hot water she'd be covered in sweat. Small, sharp flashes of pain flared up and were immediately soothed away by soft caresses. "Nnnngh!" she protested, trying to release some of the pent-up craving vocally.

And then came a long, slow stroke between her labia that made her hiss in a sharp breath and arch her back. Her hips rocked forward again, impossible to control any more, but this time she was not punished. Instead, she was allowed to seek a slow, steady rhythm that made the water surge backwards and forwards in a series of waves that splashed over the edge of the hot tub.

The tidal rush of displaced water streamed over her submerged breasts, their taut nipples drinking eagerly every touch of the tiny water bubbles swirling around them. By Azar, how she wanted to pry her hands away from the slippery chrome and fondle and squeeze and pinch herself and moan at the sensation, but she was unable to do so. Her fingers were cramped in a death-grip, allowing her body to continue its slow rocking without sinking into the deep water completely.

Soon the touches became bolder, but at the same time more teasing. They would slip inside her for a short while, searching and taunting and tormenting her just to slide quickly out and leave her whining her disappointment. Her sensitive nub was being scourged by cruelly playful flicks, in quickening synchronicity with the hungry heaving of her hips. Shivers ran down her spine, her muscles spasmed and her body shuddered. Moans escaped her throat, cut short by the clamping of her jaws and replaced by the needy sibilance of her breathing, only to return in an even stronger volume when her muscles relaxed again, her mouth opened and her head fell back in ecstasy.

The soft but strong texture of the strokes over her clit increased and became aggressively dominating. Her inner muscles sucked the probing presence inside, where it quickly found her oh-so-receptive bundle of nerves and played with it mercilessly. The double stimulation caused starbursts to flash behind tightly shut lids; the knuckles on her fingers whitened as they cramped around the handholds while she gnawed her lower lip. Her hips were now convulsing with starving eagerness, careless of all the water they were forcing over the edge of the tub. Her head was thrown from side to side, mouth open and tongue curling, while she tried to gulp in air through a series of fast " _Hah! Hah! Hah!_ " gasps pulsing in choked bursts that quickly turned into wailing moans and then cries and then screams as she shook with the violence of the high-voltage delirium that tore her body apart and blasted her mind into a reeling, numbed daze.

But the touches were not letting her go. They kept her shaking and writhing and quaking for a long time, until her totally exhausted muscles gave up and her supersaturated nerve endings dampened the searing torrent of rapture they were sending into her brain. She was brought back slowly, gently, tenderly, and left in a panting, quivering, boneless heap submerged to her chin in hot water, her hands still desperately tight around the support bars.

A mess of wet, green curls broke the surface of the water and rose, followed by two green, pointy ears, a pair of playfully sparkling green eyes and a green face split in a huge grin that allowed a fang to gleam in the subdued radiance. Gill slits on his neck closed and were reabsorbed into his skin. He leaned forward and kissed her lovingly.

Her hands finally managed to pry themselves away from the holds and her fingers dug through his wet hair. Her tongue probed deeply into his mouth, seeking to taste the ephemeral wisps of her own essence that remained inside. A rumble came from his chest and he pulled away.

"So," he spoke through equally quickened breathing. "Wasn't that better and more relaxing than meditation?"

"Hmmm," she hummed into his ear. "Not really."

He frowned, a little hurt by her barb. She stifled a giggle and moved her lips again to his ear.

"I'm an empath, Gar. That means I can feel your… dissatisfaction." She seized his shoulders and in a surprisingly strong and agile twist turned them around and straddled his hips. "It affects me, you know. I can't be fully at peace unless you are also… relaxed."

His eyes darkened and his voice growled. "Well, then, I suppose you'll have to do something about it, won't you?"

"Absolutely," she agreed and locked her lips with his, while her hand searched for and closed around his erection, guiding it to where it belonged.


	20. The Meaning of Words

**The Meaning of Words**

"Mmmm. You're beautiful!" Garfield murmured in Raven's ear, his fingers playing with a stray lock. "And your hair is so nice, so violet, like… violets."

Only the years of training and conditioning made it possible for Raven to choke down a guffaw. Her shoulders shook briefly and she masked it by burrowing deeper into his embrace.

"Your lips are so sweet, and so tasty!" he went on, oblivious to her reaction. "Your skin is like whipped cream, and your breasts like ripe peaches, and your –"

"That sounds delicious, Gar!" she interrupted him. "All that talk about food must've made you hungry. Maybe I should…" she moved her head up and nipped his ear, "… offer you something to eat?"

Raven wasn't usually so direct in her insinuations, but first, it would silence him and make him forget this romantic nonsense he's been blabbing about, and second, the concept of getting enough of her green lover was quite alien to her.

"Hmmm? Later," he muttered, his oblivious mind cast adrift on an ocean of romantic fancies. "I want to tell you how beautiful you are."

"You don't have to, Gar!" she said a bit hoarsely, fighting down the giggle that was rising in her throat.

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen!" he ignored her and continued his humming. "Lovely, and beautiful, and…"

"And what?" she hid her face in his shoulder and focused on chasing away the silent laughter that rolled convulsing in her belly.

"You are more than beautiful! You are…" his face contorted for a moment as he desperately searched for words. "You… you're magnificently gorgeous!"

Raven slowly lifted her head to gaze at her boyfriend with an expression of astonished amusement in her eyes. Garfield gulped, realizing he'd blundered, and tried again. "I mean, uh, exquisitely delectable?"

Raven blinked. Garfield scratched the back of his head. "Um… Resplendently statuesque!"

Both of Raven's eyebrows were by now way up and her hands were gripping the blankets in painfully clenched fists. The effort to keep a straight face was overwhelming.

"Uh, how about… impeccably… alluring?" he tried one last time, his voice fading into a choked whine. Raven watched him for a few moments longer before she allowed a tiny smile to light up her face. She finally understood what had happened.

"Garfield?"

His fingers plucked nervously at the blanket. "Uh, what?"

"Is this why my thesaurus went missing a few days ago?"

Garfield felt heat rise over his neck and cheeks until it burned all the way to the tips of his ears. "I… yeah, I… I wanted to…"

Raven propped herself on an elbow. "You wanted to what?" she demanded, her voice raspier than usual.

His shoulders slumped and he looked away. "I'm not good with words, Rae. You know that," he tried to explain. "I wanted… I needed to… to find the words… to let you know. To tell you how much…"

A pale hand interrupted him as it stroked his cheek lovingly. "Garfield."

Still he refused to meet her gaze. "I'm sorry. I never… never found… I'm just not –"

The hand on his cheek moved to lace its fingers through his hair, then pulled his head closer. Their lips touched and slid over each other before fusing together in a tender, loving kiss.

"Azar help me, I'll never understand," Raven gasped as she finally pulled away.

"Understand what?" he managed to ask between heavy breaths.

"What did I do to deserve you," she whispered and kissed him earnestly.


	21. Claws

**Author's Note:** This drabble was a birthday present for Vixensheart and I posted it on Tumblr at that time, but I completely forgot to also post it here. As they say, it's better late than never, and I hope Vix is not upset at my forgetfulness! :-)

-=oOo=-

 **Claws**

"Why don't you take them off?" Raven whispered, trying her utmost to ignore the ecstatic feeling of his lips gliding over her throat. Garfield didn't respond, except that his tongue flicked out unerringly over a most sensitive area, making the muscles beneath tense and ripple.

She hissed in a sharp breath as bursts of electricity flared blindingly behind tightly shut lids and scintillated in a burning flood down her spine. Her legs parted slightly as her body prepared itself eagerly to receive him. The musky scent of her heat arose, unleashing a deep purr growling through his throat. She felt its vibrations permeate her and sink in to rumble deep inside her, touching and resonating with the very core of her desire. A whimper went through her lips and her breathing quickened into gasping.

He always did that to her. Every time she asked him to take his gloves off, he would instead silently find the most sensitive place on her body – under her jaw, on her throat, beneath the soft swell of her breasts, on the inside of her thighs, somehow it was always just a kiss away from his mouth wherever it was – and he would make her head spin and flood her mind with rapture, making her forget about everything else but the warm caress of his soft lips, the playful tease of his clever tongue and the gentle graze of his fang on impossibly yearning skin.

But this time there was a difference. Tonight, his unexpected kisses had pulled her away from a long, relaxing meditation séance that filled her body, mind and soul with tranquility. She never felt him unclasp and remove her cloak, never sensed him pick her up and gently lay her on the bed, never realized her clothes were slowly peeled off her body. Her awareness of the outside world never really returned; she transitioned from deep internal introspection to the delightful sensation of his lips scorching her skin and sparking up the well-known and well-loved fire he always lit up in her so simply, easily and naturally.

And yet it also allowed her curiosity to keep its head above the rising tide of desire. Only barely so, to be sure, but enough for her to push aside the starving need for his kisses for a moment and cup his head in her hands, lifting it tenderly but indisputably up until he met her gaze.

The feral gleam faded from his eyes and they became again the eyes of a boy; clear, shy and apprehensive. He looked away.

She sighed and pulled him into a kiss. She of all people should know what it meant to keep secrets from others. He would do it when he was ready. But she couldn't avoid feeling a little –

He pushed himself up and knelt on the bed beside her, wrenching out a needy, frustrated whine from her throat. He watched her for a few moments, his eyes now dark and deep. He lifted his gloved hands, glanced at them and looked at her again.

Her heart hammered in her chest. Her mouth opened slightly but her throat closed, shearing off any words. Her hand wanted to rise and stop him, but it couldn't.

Without either hurry or hesitation he removed the gloves and again lifted his hands, as if to show them to her, but she couldn't pry her gaze away from his eyes. She was aware of the image in her peripheral vision, a blurry sight of long fingers and coarse fur curling on the back of his hands, growing shorter and softer as it approached his wrist to turn seamlessly into the velvety fuzz that climbed up his forearm. Sharp talons slid partially out and trembled, caught in the crossfire between his instinctive defensive reaction and the rational desire to keep them sheathed.

Raven's mouth was dry and her throat clamped so tight the breath could barely wheeze through it. She didn't have to be an empath to see the expression of hope, love and absolute trust in his eyes, and it twisted a burning dagger in her heart.

She gasped softly as the sweet pain broke the spell and allowed her to look down at his hands. She grasped them gently in her own and pulled one of them to her face, kissing the fingers and the palm and placing it on her cheek. Her eyes closed and she leaned into it, rubbing against the soft texture of the skin and the sharp brush of the talons. His other hand was also pulled into a kiss and then pressed gently but undeniably on her breast, her fingers curling and urging it over the pliant flesh, her wish unmistakable.

Her eyelids parted open, heavy with moisture. She gazed at him, breathing raggedly, then tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him down into a long kiss.


	22. Get a Room!

**Get a Room!**

A small yip of frustration burst out of Beast Boy's mouth as his body leaned to the side, trying to emulate the movements of his digital avatar. His hands gripped the controller tightly and his fingers danced a frenzied tattoo over the buttons, but the split second of distraction turned out to be his undoing.

While the death animation of his character played on the screen he forced a frown away from his face and shifted his eyes to the couple on the other side of the couch, keeping the grumbles to himself. It's not like he was _bothered_ by his friends sharing a moment of love, but did they have to be so _loud?_

He could hear the wet sounds of their kisses, the sweet sparkle of Starfire's giggles and the deep rumble of Dick's groans clearly enough even under the headphones and over the loud music and even louder sound effects of the game. He rolled his eyes, careful not to be noticed. Not for the first time today he wished the couple would _get a room_ already.

Raven's jaw muscles bunched and she clutched at the heavy hardcover she was reading. Oh, she was an expert in overcoming environmental distractions when it came to reading, and as much as she had no headphones to protect her ears from the smacking and sucking and cooing and gasping she knew she would be able to tune it all out and focus on her fiction. No, it wasn't that. It was her empathic sense that was being overwhelmed, and that was much more difficult to ignore. She huddled deeper into her cloak and tried to get back to the novel yet again, wishing for the umpteenth time today that the couple would _get a room_ already.

Now, while Starfire succeeded in vanquishing Richard's reluctance to publicly display his affection, Gar was never troubled by his own girlfriend's outward emotional coldness. He learned to treasure the light touch of her hand or the small, hidden smile she would send his way just as much as Star loved to have Dick hug and kiss her.

Truth to be told, he didn't need the reassurance. Raven certainly made up for it every time they were alone in the dark, familiar and comforting privacy of her – of _their_ room. It made her relax and feel safe and isolated, and she'd unlock all the vaults and throw open all the gates of her soul to allow him to dive into the bottomless depths of her love and her passion. It was something that was reserved only for him, he knew, and there were no words or caresses that could better express what she kept in her heart. He sighed, unable to let go of a feeling of inadequacy. Why would the most beautiful girl in the world fall so deeply in love with a fanged, pointy-eared green freak would always remain a mystery to him.

He felt the call of her affectionate gaze and glanced over to meet it. All his doubts were forgotten as he lost himself in those amethyst pools. The very edge of Raven's lip curled up almost imperceptibly and he felt the warmth of his feelings rush into his face and glow in his eyes. Raven's book lifted again and she hid behind it, returning to her reading and breaking the spell he was under. He shook himself off, grinned and tried to ignore the distracting sounds coming from the far end of the couch while focusing on the game.

-=oOo=-

In the end, one straw broke the backs of both camels. To put it more precisely, it was Richard's hand slipping where it definitely wasn't supposed to be – at least not in the current ambience – and the resulting moan of surprise and delight from Starfire that startled both the sorceress and the changeling away from their pastimes and made them exchange a long, suffering look.

Starfire's moan turned into a lusty chuckle and she whispered something into Richard's ear. Gar was unable to make out the words (for which he was quite thankful) but the tone of the alien's whisper made him blush fiercely. He huffed silently and scowled, his eyes seeking his girlfriend's in a gesture of shared misery.

Raven's dark eyebrows were dangerously close to each other. Gar knew that irritated expression only too well; he was usually the one who caused it to appear. At least this time it wasn't his fault. But as he looked into her eyes an understanding flowed between them, an agreement no less loud and clear for being unspoken. A mischievous smile appeared on Raven's face while Garfield's fang gleamed playfully through his toothy grin.

-=oOo=-

"Mmmmmm," Starfire purred, the contented sound coming naturally to her. She was descended from a race of large felines, after all, and the sensation of Dick's kisses climbing slowly over her shoulder and neck made her shiver, wondering in sweet anticipation if he would seek her lips or maybe take a detour to her ear…

… but instead he stopped.

She pulled back in confusion, searching for the cause of the interruption. Her boyfriend's eyes were growing wider by the second while he looked over her shoulder. She squirmed in his lap and turned to see what was it he was staring at.

"Oh!" she gasped uncertainly. Normally a similar sight would fill her with gladness and joy, but there was something disturbing, something downright primeval in the scene that was unfolding only a few feet away from her.

The Tamaranean blinked, making sure her eyes were not deceiving her. Was that really her friend Raven that was kissing friend Beast Boy with such a fiery passion? The indigo folds of the voluminous cloak billowed around them, hiding everything from view, but Starfire was sure she could catch a few tantalizing glimpses suggestive of their positions and the location of their hands.

Was friend Raven… grinding her hips against friend Beast Boy's lap? The tall redhead glanced at her boyfriend, catching his eyes. Both their faces flushed and Richard's lips parted as he was about to suggest they retire and leave the sorceress and the changeling alone. But before he was able to say anything, Garfield's hungry growl made them turn and look again at their friends across the couch.

A harsh groan came from Raven's throat, descending into a rumble that mingled with ominous provocativeness with the green morpher's deep, long, rolling grunts, both sounds muffled as they eagerly devoured each other's lips. Richard swallowed and Starfire bit her knuckle.

Suddenly Raven threw her head back, exposing her throat. Gar's mouth immediately fastened on it, his cheeks sinking inwards. The half-demon inhaled a sharp, hissing breath and her lids fluttered shut, unable to conceal a crimson glow that began filtering around their edges. Garfield snarled loudly, making Dick and Kory shudder. His lips curled back and he pulled away for an instant before sinking his teeth into the smooth, pale flesh his demonic girlfriend offered so invitingly. A couple of ruby drops rolled down the ivory skin and the sorceress wailed. Her hand appeared from the eye-deceiving billows of her cloak to sink clawlike into Garfield's hair and pull his head closer.

Starfire clutched Richard's hand with bone-breaking intensity, but he barely noticed it. His face was glowing red, his mouth was dry and his mind was dazed, but he couldn't wrench his eyes away from the frightening, borderline obscene sight. He didn't have to look at his girlfriend to know she was in a similar state.

The changeling edged back for an instant before licking the trailing blood droplets off Raven's throat. She opened her eyes – all four of them – and gazed with starving ferocity at him. He met and returned her glare with a burning look of undisguised, primal desire. Her hands went for the collar of his uniform and she ripped it open with a powerful, impatient jerk to bury her face and her teeth into his naked chest.

Garfield's hips heaved up, a movement visible even under the flowing dark blue folds of the obscuring fabric. Starfire gasped and Robin gulped. It tore them from their fascinated voyeurism and they quickly rose from the couch, leaving the Ops room in a few hurried, distraught steps.

"X'hal!" Starfire let out an explosive breath as the Ops room door closed behind them. "I never had the imagination that our friends could be so…"

" _Feral?_ " Robin suggested, his face frowning. "I suppose it's not so strange, what with Gar's animalistic side and Raven's demonic heritage. But I wonder…"

"You are having the wondering if it is always like this with them?" it was Starfire's turn to complete the sentence. "I am doing so myself! I must ask friend Raven about it in all the possible swiftness!"

"Somehow I think she won't be eager to answer that, Kory!" Richard laughed, then placed his arms around her waist and pulled her in. "I must admit it was hot, though!"

A green glow appeared in the Tamaranean's eyes and she pressed herself closer to her boyfriend. "Indeed!" she purred and her voice became low and throaty. "Shall we do something about it, then?"

"Well, if you insist…" Richard grinned, scooped her into his arms and carried her, still giggling, to their room.

-=oOo=-

"Rrrrraeee…" the changeling growled, digging his claws into her hair. She looked up, and there was much more threat than amusement in her grin. " _What?_ "

"They're… rrrrgn… gone!"

Raven paused in her sinuous movements and glared at him impatiently from four red, hungry eyes. Black wisps of power rose like dark mist from her body, coiling around them both and making her hair float in a halo around her head. Small black sparks crackled quietly through it. Slowly her power dissipated and her eyes dimmed into dark cinnabar. "Maybe… this wasn't such a good idea. Do you want to stop?"

Instead of answering he snapped his teeth viciously at her in a clear challenge, then grabbed and lifted her, trying to wrestle her down on the couch. She snarled back, agreeing to the dominance game. Their teeth clashed and their clothes were torn to ribbons as they fought with fang and claw to establish supremacy; a game they both loved so much to play, knowing that there would be no losers no matter who won.


	23. Wanna Hug?

Richard paused his descent down the rocky slope of the coast for a moment, still trying to figure out how to handle the problem. It was something that was never covered by Bruce's otherwise extensive training.

He took a deep breath of the evening breeze and smiled. Sometimes you had to allow yourself to be guided by your heart, not your mind.

"Hey, Gar," he said as he lowered himself beside the changeling who was sitting on the rocky shore, morosely tossing pebbles into the water.

"Hey." Another small, mechanical flick of the green wrist and another small splash followed the word.

"You okay?" Richard studied his friend with concern.

"I'm fine."

In any other situation it would've been funny to hear how Gar had taken on some of his girlfriend's mannerisms. But there was little to laugh about this whole topic.

"She didn't mean it," Richard tried.

The wrist flicked. "I know." Water splashed. "It still hurts."

"Gar…"

"I'm cool, dude," Garfield shrugged and turned to face him with a blank expression. "I really am."

"I think it hurts her more than you," Richard said as gently as he could, but Gar's posture stiffened abruptly and his eyes filled with worry.

"I'll go see her," the younger Titan readied himself to get up. Richard's hand went for his shoulder, stopping him.

"Wait."

Gar frowned, fighting the urge. Richard smiled. "She can stand it a few minutes more. I just wanted to talk to you."

The green morpher relaxed and eased down, but there was still tenseness in his shoulders and in the corners of his eyes. His hand grasped a handful of pebbles and tossed one in the ocean. "Then talk."

"She's still not used to it," the leader of the Titans spoke quietly. "After she banished Trigon she doesn't need to restrain her emotions like before, but that doesn't mean she's learned how to deal with them."

Flick. "Yeah, I know." Splash.

"She used to channel it all into anger," Robin went on, his gaze turning to the horizon. "I think it was easier for her to handle it that way. She still hasn't figured out how to show affection, or… love."

Garfield chuckled. "Straight from the mouth of the expert." Another pebble flew into the grumbling surf. "I know, dude. I told ya."

"You also know she loves you. As much as you love her," Richard's hand squeezed Gar's shoulder and he pushed himself up. "Never forget it."

"As if I ever could," Gar's eyes followed the arcing trajectory of the last pebble, then sought his friend's eyes. His infectious grin finally reappeared. "No worries, man!"

Richard smiled back, turned and climbed towards the Tower's entrance. He nodded slightly at the blue-cloaked figure standing beside it. Her impassive mask broke for a second to allow a small, grateful smile to light up her face. She watched him go inside, gathered her courage and stepped towards the shore.

She sat beside Garfield, folding her legs. Her mouth opened but her throat closed.

"Gar, I… I'm sorry," she whispered. Her fingers plucked at the hem of her cloak.

"It's okay, Rae." His eyes searched the dark waters. "I'm not angry."

Her hand crept closer and touched his own with shy hesitancy. "I – I'm just –"

"Hush," he murmured and entwined his fingers through hers. "I love you."

Her head dipped and her shoulders slumped in relief. He grinned at her, the fang gleaming playfully. "Wanna hug?"

She arched an eyebrow at him, recovering her composure, then smiled. "Sure"

His arm went around her and he pulled her closer. She relaxed into his embrace.

"Don't you _dare_ tell anyone about this," she grumbled as she shifted to snuggle better. "A girl has a reputation to maintain, after all."

"Your secret is safe with me," he laughed and bent to kiss her.


	24. Gallery of Kisses

**Gallery of Kisses**

"Come!" Garfield urged his girlfriend as he dragged her by the hand up the stairs to the roof of the Tower. "I want to show you one of my secret places!"

"What's so secret about the roof?" Raven grumbled, irritated with her green boyfriend for pulling her away from the novel she was enjoying. "We've been up there a zillion times!"

"You've never been to _this_ place!" he beamed at her, his smile balancing between anxious encouragement and joyful enthusiasm. Raven rolled her eyes. "Gar…"

He stopped and turned to look at her, the excitement fading from his eyes. "You could play along for once, you know."

She didn't have to be an empath to read the droop of his ears and the hurt in the corners of his mouth. Shame scythed through her and she stepped quickly closer to run her fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, Gar. You're right. I should."

The happy grin returned. "You're the best girlfriend I ever had!" he exclaimed and hugged her tightly before he resumed dragging her up the stairs.

"I'm the _only_ girlfriend you ever had," she couldn't resist growling. He gripped her hand tighter and flashed her a playful smile. "Pot, meet kettle!"

They reached the roof. Raven pulled the hood over her face to shield herself from the bright sun while Garfield waved a hand expansively. "Ta-dah! Here we are!"

"It's certainly a well-guarded secret, because I can't see anything!" the sorceress complained, uncomfortable as always when forced away from her daily routine. Then again, her green, fanged, pointy-eared boyfriend made sure that there was as little routine as possible in her life, and she adored him ever the more for it.

"Oh, don't worry about it!" he laughed, then offered her his arm. "Let me show you!"

Raven sighed her exasperation but couldn't keep a small smile from spreading over her features. She accepted the affectionately presented arm and allowed herself a chuckle. "Well, then. Lead on!"

"My pleasure," he gave her a small, flirty bow and guided her forward. His free hand gestured at something unseen in front of them. "Welcome to my Gallery of Kisses!"

The empath choked on a sudden guffaw. "Gallery of _what?_ "

"Gallery of Kisses!" he repeated with a sunny grin. "It's a museum where I keep the memories of all my kisses."

Bemused, she stood still for a few moments. Her mouth worked like that of a fish trying to breathe air. Her hand went for her face, covering her eyes.

"Let's start here," he pulled her towards the center of the roof, ignoring her vexation. "The Room of Angry Kisses!"

"... Angry?" she managed to squawk, still mildly stunned by his actions. By Azar, she was torn between banishing him to another dimension or covering him with kisses. Maybe she should do both.

The green morpher was, however, oblivious to her quandary. "Check this one out," he spoke as if he was showing her the renowned work of a great artist. "Remember when I pushed you away from Dr. Light's beam and got burned? You were so angry with me!"

The memory of the incident flashed through her mind and she felt a shadow of the fear and fury that overcame her that day. "Gar, you almost got killed trying to protect me! Of course I was upset!"

"I know that," his tone became sheepish. "But that's not the exhibit. It's the kiss you gave me when I woke from the coma."

Oh, she remembered it well. The anguish, the anxiety, the sheer _relief_ to see those beautiful green eyes of his open again. "I… I was…"

"That kiss was worth all the pain," he told her affectionately. Her eyebrows came together in a scowl and she opened her mouth to scold him for the idiocy he displayed on that occasion, but he preempted her by pointing to a different place.

"How about that one?" he said quickly. "When those two fangirls were all over me? And then you dragged me away and teleported us to the Tower and kissed me and told me I was only yours."

The demoness felt her cheeks burn and her gaze dropped. Garfield chuckled. "That was some kiss," he recalled wistfully, then snickered. "You know, before that I never imagined you were the jealous type."

Her eyes slowly rose to meet his own. A crimson glow appeared in them. Garfield's smirk evaporated.

"You are _mine,_ Garfield Mark Logan," she growled and poked a warning finger into his chest. "And I do _not_ share!"

The shapeshifter gulped. "Um, yeah, I suppose I got that message!" he ran a finger under his collar and smiled wanly. "Comes with dating a half-demon, I guess!"

"Humph!" she snorted. Seeing she wasn't mollified, he quickly pulled her along.

"Next section," he spoke in a hurry, looking for an escape route from the corner he'd just painted himself in. "The Awkward Kisses!"

Raven's scowl had mellowed into a frown by now. "Awkward?"

"Yeah," he nodded enthusiastically, sensing that he was going to survive his recent blunder. "At Dick's and Kori's engagement party, remember? When we finally told everyone we were dating, and they all began shouting 'Kiss, kiss, kiss!', and you had to do it in front of everybody?"

Another small smile lit up Raven's face. Of course, how could she forget? She was so embarrassed that she sought to hide herself in that kiss, to shut out the world around it and make it go away and vanish until there was nothing else in the entire Universe but the two of them and their kiss. Gar's initial astonishment with her suddenly unleashed passion was short, though, and he kissed her back with everything he had. When they finally broke apart her ears were ringing, but she never knew if it was from the kiss or from the whistles, hoots and shouts of approval and encouragement that shook the room.

"That's one of my fondest memories," she murmured and released his arm to embrace him. He pulled her closer and smiled, pointing to yet another empty place on the roof.

"And this one?" he chuckled. "When Cy caught us making out on the couch?"

The half-demon's smile became crooked. "He didn't tease you about it, did he?"

"Come to think of it, he never did!" Gar frowned and scratched the back of his head. "I thought he wouldn't let me live it down."

"You don't give him enough credit," Raven rebuked him gently. "He's a good friend."

Tactfully, Raven didn't mention she had cornered Cyborg immediately after the incident in order to express her conviction that her Big Bro was going to behave as a mature adult about it and refrain from teasing her boyfriend. _Or else,_ with a special and extensively descriptive emphasis on the _'else'_.

Garfield's arm over her shoulder guided her along and she followed, shaking her head and smiling. He stopped for a second and she felt a flash of deep sadness and regret coming from him before he crushed it and pulled her away.

"Gar, what was that?" she asked, not even sure if she really sensed it or had just imagined it.

"Uh, nothing! Now, the next –"

"Gar!" she interrupted him, his quick denial convincing her she was on the right track. "There was something. Something you're not telling me."

He fidgeted. "It's, uh, it's private…"

"Private?" she crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Are you keeping secrets from me?"

"No!" he cried, then shuffled his feet. "I mean…" his voice trailed off. She waited for a few moments, but he remained silent. She bit her lip. "Let's continue, then," she said hoarsely.

"It's not that, Rae. I just…"

"I know what it's like to hide things from those you love, Gar," she spoke softly. "But I was hoping you wouldn't make the same mistakes I did."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "The Good Night Kisses," he blurted out. Raven blinked.

Gar sighed. "My parents. When I was a kid, they would… kiss me good night."

Silence fell between them for a few seconds before Raven broke it. "Gar."

"I'm sorry, Rae, I didn't…"

"Gar," she repeated and he felt her fingers touch his cheek. He opened his eyes and met her serious gaze. "That should be a fond, happy memory."

"But it hurts…" he mumbled, his sight becoming blurry. He felt her embrace him and he hugged her back desperately. "I'm sorry. I ruined it."

"Don't be an idiot, Gar," she hummed in his ear. "Now, tell me what's the most precious exhibit you have in your Gallery?"

He pulled back, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "The most precious?" he grinned and waved his hand towards the corner of the roof. "Right there, you see it? Our first kiss."

Raven's eyebrow went up. "Our first kiss? From what I remember it was pretty sloppy. And clumsy."

Garfield's grin widened and his fang poked out. "Ooooh, so now you're an expert in kissing?"

"I had a good teacher," the corner of her mouth went a little bit up. "But I suppose technique isn't everything."

"Of course!" Gar agreed, nodding vigorously. "There's also the artistic impression!"

"Speaking of impressions, I have to say it's the best Gallery I've ever seen," she said warmly before her voice took on a decidedly throaty note. "Maybe I can offer you a contribution?"

Garfield frowned in puzzlement for a moment. "Contribution?" he tried to ask just as her hands cupped his face and he found himself on the receiving end of a brain-scrambling, lip-scorching, toe-curling kiss. Before short-circuiting itself out, his rational mind agreed wholeheartedly that it was definitely a masterpiece of kissing, and absolutely deserving of a place of honor in his Gallery.


	25. Enough is Enough!

**Author's Note:** This one is a bit longer than normal for _Scribbles,_ but I hope I'll get no complaints. Also, I've used the "wrapped up in Red X's trap" already before, but it's such a good trope that I couldn't resist it. I hope you like it!

-=oOo=-

 **Enough is Enough**

The elevator ride from the garage was silent, slow and awkward. Raven glanced at her green teammate, wondering if he could smell the irritation – no, the downright _anger_ flowing from the other three Titans as clearly as she could sense it through her empathy. His eyes were guilty and apprehensive; he obviously felt it also. The heavy, oppressive frustration rolled in burning waves from her three friends, crackling and smoldering on the deep, powerful foundation of care, affection and friendship she had always cherished and treasured. It made everything even worse.

She bit her lip. No clear reason for her friends' behavior would come to her mind. Yes, she and Beast Boy bungled and Red X escaped, but nobody got hurt. Usually such mistakes would earn them a scolding from their leader and maybe a few extra hours of training next week, but everyone else would just wave it away and forget about it almost immediately. Something was not right.

 _Ding!_ The elevator door opened and they filed out into the Ops room, with the empath and the morpher bringing up the rear after exchanging another confused, worried look.

"Raven. Beast Boy. Twenty minutes to freshen up, then to the Conference room for debriefing!" Robin snapped over his shoulder before turning to the other Titans. "Cyborg. Starfire. I need to talk to you."

It was definitely a dismissal, and one that promised more than just a verbal lashing soon enough. She sighed and pushed it away from her mind. She'll find out in twenty minutes. They both stepped out and walked to their rooms in silence.

-=oOo=-

After taking a quick shower and putting on a clean leotard she hurried to the Conference room. As she turned the last corner in the hallway she noticed Beast Boy slipping inside. He obviously also realized that punctuality was paramount; no sense stoking up Robin's irritation any further.

Their leader was seated at the head of the table, with Starfire and Cyborg at his sides. Garfield sat stiff, straight and very uncomfortable at the other end, instinctively seeking to be as far away as possible from the impending doom.

She felt a hard stab of apprehension in her guts. It all looked so ominous, as if she entered a court of law where her destiny was to be decided. She swept her gaze over her friends. Robin's face was stony, Cyborg was scowling and Starfire's small, dainty eyebrows were gathered in an uncharacteristic frown, only somewhat tempered by a heavy dose of concern.

 _Let's get this over with_ , she thought with fatalistic determination. Keeping her expression carefully blank, she sat beside Garfield and prepared for the worst.

-=oOo=-

"I'm very disappointed in the two of you!" Robin began, going straight to the point. He rose and started pacing across the room. "And it's not only today!" he growled. Suddenly he stabbed an accusing finger at the apprehensive duo.

"Do you have any idea how long we worked on it? Do you realize how expensive it was? How much effort we wasted, how much we _sacrificed?_ "

"Robin, I'm sorry –" Raven tried but was instantly cut off by a gesture as savage as it was dismissive.

"Three vials of Xenotium, Raven!" he shouted. She felt Gar tense beside her, knowing the verbal blow was directed at him, too. " _Three vials!_ A year's supply!"

The sorceress felt her cheeks burn. She thought she was ready for anything, but the mixture of anger, disappointment, frustration and love crashing into her was overpowering. A retaliatory rage rose up in her and she clenched her fists.

"If anyone was stupid enough to keep that much Xenotium in one place they deserve what they got!" she shot back, keeping her voice calm and cold with an effort. "It was an open invitation for Red X! They could as well have placed a 'Steal Me' neon sign above it!"

"Steal _? We gave it to him!_ " Robin exploded in anger, then ran a hand through his spiky hair, pulling himself together.

Raven blinked, then glanced at the other two Titans. They were still frowning but they were looking down, avoiding her gaze.

"We didn't exactly 'give it' to him, Robin!" she replied heatedly, then forced calm back on herself. "He had to fight us tooth and nail! I admit, Beast Boy and I blundered –"

"You are failing to have the understanding, friend Raven," Starfire's voice interrupted her. "We have truly given the vials to Red X."

Raven's mouth opened and her jaw hung slackly. She sneaked a quick look at Garfield to confirm that his own jaw was also on the floor.

"He played it perfectly!" Robin's arms went up in frustration. "Everything went according to plan! He had you lined up just at the right time and in the right place, and he wrapped you both up nose to nose in that X of his, just as we instructed him!"

"Instructed… ?" Raven croaked, completely bewildered.

"Then we faked going after him and we left you alone for two hours wrapped up intimately close, face to face, noses touching… The plan was perfect, the execution _flawless!_ " He slammed his fist on the table. "Two hours! And. You. Two. Did. _Nothing!_ "

An eternity of silent seconds tiptoed away before Beast Boy cleared his throat.

"Uh… Dudes… I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but can someone tell me what were we _supposed_ to do?"

Cyborg sent a withering glare his way. "You were supposed to _kiss,_ Evergreen!"

-=oOo=-

A strangled gurgle rose from the green morpher's throat. Raven sat frozen stiff. Another eon of deafening silence passed.

Robin placed his hands on the table and leaned towards the two stupefied Titans. "You see, Raven, we _know_."

"Know…" the Azarathian barely managed to breathe.

"... what?" the shapeshifter completed her question in the same hoarse whisper.

"We know y'all are head over heels in love with each other!" Cyborg grumbled.

"The obviousness is indeed painful!" Starfire nodded her agreement.

"But…" Raven tried.

"Please, friend Raven. Your cheeks color with the prettiest shade of the pink whenever I mention friend Beast Boy."

"Dude…" it was Beast Boy's turn to attempt to refute, to which Cyborg clucked his tongue and shook his head. "Nuh-uh. Every time you're in the lead, I only have to mention Raven and y'all zone out for a few seconds." A malicious grin spread over his face. "Why d'y'all think you never won a game these last few months?"

"I didn't need to be a great detective to figure it out either," Robin drove the final nail into the coffin. "Now let's stop pretending and get back to what we were discussing!"

Garfield snorted. Raven facepalmed. "Are you telling me that you have set all this up just to –"

" _NO!_ " Robin almost snarled at her. "This? This was just the tip of the iceberg, Raven! The last straw! Enough is _enough!_ "

"Dude, you're tellin' me – hang on!" Garfield exclaimed, then turned suddenly to Cyborg, his eyes growing wide. "The T-Car? You let me drive the T-Car that time because…"

Raven picked up Garfield's meaning right away and glared at her adopted big brother. "And you sent me with him not to make sure he drove carefully but because…"

Cyborg's answer was clear as crystal in his impassive expression. The half-demon turned to Starfire.

"I thought it was surprising that you ran out of mustard that other day, Koriand'r!" she growled at the Tamaranean. "It was a ruse to have me and Beast Boy go to the store for more, isn't that right?"

The chagrined alien looked away. "It is indeed right. I had to throw away my entire supply to create a credible dearth. So much of the mustard discarded into the can of the garbage… It is a most distressing memory." Her eyes rose and she met Raven's glare with a defiant glow in her eyes. "I would do it again, friend Raven. I would give up all the mustard in the Universe if it would bring the two of you into the togetherness."

"And don't forget the joint patrols before that," the Boy Wonder scoffed. "And all the sparring before _that_. And even all those romantic movies!"

The sorceress massaged her temples. "I thought the movies were for Starfire…"

"I did obtain much of the enjoyment from them, but their main purpose was to inspire you," her alien friend muttered defensively.

"In any case, all that is meaningless right now!" the young acrobat glowered at them. "As leader of the Titans, my duty to the team is clear and I have made my decision!" Then his tone softened and his voice became earnest. "But as your _friend,_ I have talked it over with Star and Cy, and we all agree."

"Agree on what?" Raven almost whimpered. _Here it comes,_ she thought.

Robin let out a long, gusty breath. "We are locking you two in a room, together!" he said, then continued fiercely. "And the only way you're coming out of it is as a couple!"

Raven rubbed her temples harder. Beast Boy guffawed and giggled.

"Garfield!" she growled a warning towards the green shapeshifter, but his giggles were already turning into a roar of laughter.

"Gar!" she shouted at him. With a monumental effort he smothered his mirth and calmed down, but his shoulders still shook from time to time with repressed laughter.

"Rae, don't you think we should –"

"Hush, Gar," she spoke softly and placed a tender hand over his own. "Let me handle this."

She turned to Robin. "While we were entangled in Red X's trap, Garfield and I had a long discussion," she began.

"Yeah, it took a lot to convince you!" Garfield chuckled.

She frowned at him, but her voice was gentle and her eyes affectionate. "It's not that I needed much convincing, Garfield. It's just that I enjoyed how you went around doing it."

He gave her a goofy grin, the same one that always made her insides flutter all over. She pushed back the urge to kiss the living daylights out of him and turned to Robin.

"You see, Robin, Garfield and I decided to come out clean. We've been… _seeing each other_ for months now, but I asked Gar to keep it quiet."

She swept her gaze over the trio, stunned into silence by the revelation. "I decided I'm finally comfortable enough in my feelings towards Gar, and confident enough in his feelings towards me. However…"

A small, crooked smile appeared on her face. "We do feel responsible for what we did and we will take the punishment you have laid down for us. We will be in my room for the next several hours, and I assure you that we will come out of it as a… _couple_."

She gestured and a black portal appeared. Grabbing Garfield's hand in hers, she stepped towards it before turning to her astounded friends. Her smile widened with a positive touch of mischief.

"Don't worry about locking the door, by the way. I'll take care of it myself," she purred and pulled her grinning boyfriend into the portal.


	26. No Regrets

**No Regrets**

Raven phased into their room, not wishing to use the door. Even its quiet hiss could wake him, and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Calling on her power, she undressed in utter silence. Carefully she sat on the bed without disturbing him and watched for a while as his chest rose and fell in peaceful slumber. The aching wish to slide her fingers and her lips over him was overpowering; the painful need to feel his touch made her hug herself and smother a sob.

His touch. Azar, how she yearned for it right now.

She sighed soundlessly and slipped under the duvet, careful not to wake him. She couldn't deal with it tonight. She'd speak with him tomorrow.

Turning her back to him she curled into herself, trying to ignore the exhaustion and the emptiness that yawned like a black chasm in her soul. She needed oblivion; either the dark unconsciousness of sleep or the vibrant, fiery passion of his lovemaking that blanked her mind and nourished her soul. But she couldn't reach the former nor would she wake him to seek the latter. Not tonight.

Tomorrow she would tell him and confess her failure. Tonight she would just lay quietly and listen to his soft breathing beside her. Tomorrow…

His arms enveloped her and his body folded around her. His warmth seared her skin and goosebumps erupted over her arms. His breath burned her ear as he whispered.

"What is it?"

A handful of blanket was crushed in her fist. Her eyes squeezed shut on the bitter flood building up behind them. She swallowed a couple of times and commanded her voice to be calm.

"I'm fine."

Gar's lips touched her shoulder and she shivered. They traveled over to her neck and she trembled. They stopped with a small kiss at her nape and she bit back a moan. She heard him take a deep breath of her scent and release it slowly in a murmur overflowing with love and concern.

"No, you're not."

"Gar…" she mouthed barely above a breath. "Not… not now. Tomorrow."

His response was a slow glide of tender fingertips on her shoulder, both soothing and demanding. She tried to ignore it, but her craving for his nearness betrayed her and she turned, burying her face into his breast and taking in a deep breath. His wild, lush essence filled her lungs and she gripped him tightly, pressing herself close to his reassuring warmth.

"Tell me," he insisted gently. Concern began glowing in his soul, braiding around the shining web of love woven so deeply into him.

Raven's eyes burned and itched. Her hand traced over his shoulder and chest and torso, the fingers grazing his skin, her caress seeking in blind sorrow the solace of his presence, warm, comforting and loving. It gave her the strength she needed to speak.

"I was... with Victor. The… results just came in."

His lips moved over her forehead in a silent kiss while he waited for her to say it. Her mouth felt parched, her tongue thick and heavy.

"Nothing can be done. I can't… I'm not able to have children," she forced herself to go on. "I never will be."

A strange feeling of relief mixed with foreboding swept over her as she confessed it. She was flawed, damaged, defective, but at least it was now out in the open. She held her breath and waited for his reaction. His fingers counted the moments slowly as they ran through her hair in a languid, mesmerizing rhythm that slowly stilled the desperate thudding of her heart.

Finally he spoke, his voice soft and affectionate. "We'll apply for the adoption of Melvin, Timmy and Teether tomorrow."

His words chased each other through the numbing mist in her mind until they fell into place. She looked up at him, her eyes glowing.

"Are you sure? You know I always wanted that, but I didn't -"

"More than sure," he smiled. "We would've done it anyway. The kids deserve a family, and so do we."

Her head lowered itself on his chest again, her gaze lost in the undefined darkness beyond the bed. She sighed.

"Thank you, Gar," she whispered. "Do you think…"

"Don't worry," he smiled at her unspoken question. "We'll have the full might of Steve's legal team behind us, and we both know we can also count on Bruce's attorneys if there's a need. They'll blow through any red tape or legal roadblock like a tornado through a trailer park."

Raven allowed herself a small, happy smile and rubbed her cheek against the warm velvet of his skin. His fingers resumed their tender play with her hair while they both luxuriated in their intimate nearness. Garfield's nostrils flared again.

"You're still uneasy," he spoke quietly. She shook her head. "No, not really. It's just that…"

"Tsk, tsk!" he clicked his tongue. "You know you can't hide it from me."

"I'm just… regretful that I'll never be able to bring a life into the world," she sighed.

Garfield chuckled. "You already have." She looked at him in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

He shifted a bit to slide lower and bring his eyes level with hers. "Let me tell you a story," he said, his voice for once serious. "Once upon a time there was a little boy."

"Garfield," Raven's tone held a dash of impatience. Gar smiled and hushed her with a gentle finger to her lips.

"He was an orphan boy, lonely and unloved, so he hid," Gar went on in a low, steady and utterly enthralling voice. "He hid behind pranks and bad jokes and immature behavior. He hid from everyone, including his friends, including himself. And he did it so well that not even he was aware of the mask on his face, the mask that he had to put on every morning."

Raven watched him through wide open eyes while her throat tightened. Gar smiled wanly and looked away, continuing his tale.

"He hated getting up in the morning, you know? He hated getting up in the morning not because he was lazy but because he needed time to gather the courage to face a world that scorned him and branded him a freak. But he endured the whispers and the laughs and the pointing fingers."

He shook his head, as if trying to push a bothersome thought away. "He endured, because he didn't want to hurt his friends by doing something stupid. So he pushed on, trying to burn away the time in endless video games and hours of stupid flicks and any other pastime that would keep his mind busy and not allow him the time to _think._ "

"Gar…" Raven whispered, lifting her hand to caress his cheek.

He looked at her. His eyes were moist.

"And then he met a girl," he smiled and took her hand into his, bringing it to his lips and giving it a tiny, tender kiss. "A girl so much like him that his soul cried knowing what she was going through."

Her mouth opened, trying to silence him and stop him from hurting himself. But again the faint touch of his finger on her lips overwhelmed her resistance and she was forced to continue listening.

"She was also despised, and feared, and misunderstood. But she wasn't alone," the faintest trace of a smirk passed over his features. "He told her so. And she wasn't unloved, because she was beautiful, and kind, and affectionate, and it's no wonder he fell in love with her so quickly and so completely. And for some reason he still doesn't understand to this day, she also fell in love with him."

"Garfield, you _idiot_ -" she whispered brokenly, grasping his face in her hands, but he swiftly silenced her with a quick, warm kiss to her lips.

"It was her love that opened his eyes, her passion that lit the light again in his heart and her devotion that lifted the veils from his soul and showed him all the good things that were still in him, all those things he hid so well that even he himself forgot they were there. And by doing that she brought him life, gave him joy, gifted him hope."

He leaned forward and placed another small, tender kiss on her lips.

"You gave me life, Raven," he breathed. "So you see, you did bring a life into this world. My own."

Her head fell on his chest with a choked sob and she hugged him fiercely, shivering in his arms. After a minute, the tremors faded and she spoke in a muffled murmur.

"It's moments like these that remind me why I love you so much, Garfield Mark Logan," she said, trying to bury her face deeper into the crook of his neck.

"That, and the ears!" he grinned and wiggled them. Raven pulled back to stare at him in disbelief for a couple of seconds before snorting a guffaw and rolling her eyes. "You just _have_ to ruin every moment we have, don't you?"


End file.
